355: The Next 60 Days Could Make or Break This Year's Crop with Gary Lezack

On today’s episode of the podcast, Lauren is joined by meteorologist Gary Lezak for a timely look at the weather patterns shaping the remainder of the growing season. As summer officially begins, producers across the country are seeing dramatically different conditions—from excessive rainfall and flooding concerns in parts of the Midwest to ongoing drought challenges in portions of Nebraska and Colorado. Gary breaks down why the next 60 days will be critical for crop development, what producers should watch during corn pollination, and where the greatest weather risks remain as we move deeper into summer. The conversation also covers heat waves, severe weather, long-range forecasting, and how shifting weather patterns could impact both crop and livestock producers in the months ahead.

Links:

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The Global Predictor App ⁠- ⁠https://www.weather2020.com/global-predictor-mobile-app
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Key Takeaways:

• The next 60 days will play a major role in determining final crop yields
• Corn pollination season is one of the most weather-sensitive periods of the year
• Parts of the Corn Belt are entering summer with excellent soil moisture conditions
• Drought concerns continue across portions of Colorado and western Nebraska
• Excessive rainfall has created both opportunities and challenges in some regions
• A July heat wave remains a possibility across portions of the Plains
• Severe weather risks will continue before gradually tapering off later this summer
• Weather conditions can shift quickly from too wet to too dry during the growing season
• The LRC model continues to point toward regional differences in temperature and rainfall
• Livestock and crop producers alike should closely monitor weather trends through August

Chapters:

00:00 Summer officially arrives across cattle country

03:00 Rainfall totals and drought conditions across the Midwest

07:00 Why the next 60 days are so important for crop yields

10:00 Corn pollination and weather-related production risks

13:00 Heat wave potential heading into July

16:00 Severe weather, tornado season, and regional outlooks

19:00 Long-range forecasting and what producers should watch next

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