Across the Corn Belt, bitter cold weather in western and northern portions of the region is stressing livestock, although the coldest conditions are west and north of primary winter wheat areas.

On the Plains, light snow is accompanying an arctic air mass over northern portions of the region, where Thursday’s highs will average 30 to 40°F below normal.

Across the Corn Belt, showers and thunderstorms will develop throughout the day across the Midwest, with precipitation falling as snow in the colder northern areas.

On the Plains, a wintery mix of precipitation is spreading into northern portions of the region, with several inches of new snow expected locally in the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Across the Corn Belt, the first major cold wave of the winter of 2012-13 continues. Thursday morning’s temperatures fell below -10° in the far upper Midwest, including much of Minnesota, the eastern Dakotas, and northern Wisconsin. Cold weather is maintaining stress on livestock, although Midwestern snow depths are mostly shallow.

Very cold weather will prevail again for today as high pressure of Arctic origins continues to settle-in from the northwest. Highs today will range through the teens, with overnight lows ranging through the single digits.  Some moderation in the cold will begin by daybreak tomorrow, with temperatures quickly moderating into the 20s by afternoon.

Across the Corn Belt, cool, dry weather prevails. Patches of snow remain across the Corn Belt, but any substantial snow cover is confined to the upper Midwest.

On the Plains, cold conditions persist, except for mild, breezy weather in Montana. Sub-zero temperatures were common Tuesday morning from eastern Colorado to the Dakotas.

Across the Corn Belt, cold, dry weather prevails, except for some snow showers downwind of the Great Lakes. The cold weather (Monday’s temperatures fell below 0° in the far upper Midwest) is increasing livestock stress.

On the Plains, cold weather is posing a threat to already drought-stressed wheat across central areas.

Across the Corn Belt, mild weather is starting to melt a snow cover that has persisted for 2 to 3 weeks across the Ohio Valley and the upper Midwest. In the last 24 hours, snow depths have declined an inch in both Des Moines, Iowa (currently 4 inches), and Indianapolis, Indiana (2 inches).

Across the Corn Belt, a variable snow cover exists.