Updated weather models show a distinct pattern developing in the next month that will likely deliver precipitation to the northern half of the U.S., while the lower half of the country looks to trend mostly drier. A shift in the movement of low- and high-pressure systems in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans foreshadow a high likelihood of milder-than-normal temperatures for much of the lower 48 states through about mid-February. Drought conditions are still a major concern in the western U.S. as a La Niña pattern appears to be peaking in the Pacific. A look at years with similar winter conditions indicate more precipitation in the Pacific Northwest, and that’s expected to reach fruition in the next few days, which will later deliver snow to the northern Rocky Mountains, while the only other major precipitation in the country will be in the mid-South from southern Missouri and Arkansas east through the Carolinas. That’s likely to change moving into the latter half of January. See more from Thursday’s ag forecast.