In episode #29 Dave Nicolai and Seth Naeve chat with Dennis Todey, Director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, Iowa. In this podcast Dennis discussed and reviewed the major factors involved with this winter’s above-average temperatures and lower than average snowfall/precipitation. Dennis also reviewed the effects of warmer than average El Niño and anticipated La Niña and its possible effects on upper Midwest agricultural weather events for the 2024 cropping season.

Dennis is a native Iowan with his BS and PhD from Iowa State in Meteorology and Agricultural Meteorology. He has spent two stints in South Dakota, first completing his MS at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and most recently as Associate Professor and State Climatologist for South Dakota at South Dakota State University before moving to the Midwest Climate Hub, based in Ames, Iowa.

The mission of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub is to develop science-based, region-specific information and technologies alongside USDA agencies and partners, and deliver these products to agricultural and natural resource managers that enable climate-informed decision-making. The Midwest Climate Hub produces several climate related publications and on-line tools. One such publication is the Midwest Climate Hub monthly which utilizes NOAA and USDA outlooks, placing them in context for agriculture in the Midwest based on current impacts. The most current Midwest Ag-Focus Outlook can be found here.

Join Dave and Seth for a discussion with Dennis Todey on this week’s edition of Minnesota Crop Cast.