National Weather Service says heat advisories and excessive heat warnings likely issued this week

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Ridging is expected to continue to shift eastward and have more of a grip on our region by Tuesday night and really continue well into next weekend. In response to this, afternoon temperatures from Wednesday through Saturday will range from the upper 90s to lower 100s each day across the region, possibly getting slightly warmer each day into the weekend. Sounds amazing right? In addition to that, heat index values will be at or well above the Heat Advisory criteria of 105 degrees each day. The only real concern for each day of the week will be where we place the Heat Advisory versus the Excessive Heat Warning each day as the location of the hottest heat indices could vary at times. Not much rain to speak of for the long-term portion of the forecast period unfortunately aside from any diurnal convection during the afternoon hours. Long range models do show a potential for some rainfall Sunday into Monday as the ridge looks to retrograde to the west slightly and our area returns to northwest flow aloft.

Burn Ban for most of Arkansas; Drought continues

Maps from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture & Arkansas Forestry Commission

33 counties are currently under a high wildfire danger risk. As dry conditions continue, it's important to be aware of what you can do to help prevent wildfires.

Arkansas Cattlemen's Association

All of Arkansas is in a drought for the first time in 10 years. Conditions are rough for all of agriculture.

Hay production has all but stopped in the majority of the state, with estimates of drastically less hay harvested this year and a need to start feeding it soon because of limited grass.

Cattle are being sold at a drastically increased rate at Arkansas livestock markets because of limited grazing.

The ACA and Governor Asa Hutchinson have requested a USDA Drought Disaster Declaration for the entire state of Arkansas.

The ACA has also requested $3.5 million for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture to create a new program to help producers through this time - the Arkansas Emergency Feed Assistance Transportation Program.

This program would provide financial assistance to producers on transportation costs of feedstuffs, including hay, during this drought.

How can you help? Share this post to raise awareness, be prepared to contact your legislators if we make a call to action, and take care of yourself and your herd in this heat.

Lack of rain impacting row crops, cattle; corn, soybean prices remain at decade highs

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Corn and soybean prices continue to soar upwards, but the lack of rain could eat into row crop farmers’ profits. Grain price hikes are negatively impacting cattle producers.

Less than an inch of rain has fallen in Jonesboro during the month of June, which is 56% less than normal, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures have consistently been in the mid-90s and have topped 100 degrees several days during the month.

The extreme heat and lack of rain are leading to abnormally dry conditions in some parts of Northeast Arkansas which is the stage before drought conditions set in, according to NWS. Counties with those dry conditions include parts of Clay, Fulton, Mississippi, Randolph and Sharp counties. The number of counties with abnormally dry conditions could grow when the NWS releases a drought monitor update in July.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/06/lack-of-rain-impacting-row-crops-cattle-corn-soybean-prices-remain-at-decade-highs/