Agroclimatic procedures related to crop production in the North Central Region of the U.S.A.

Though commonly available for many locations, summaries of weather normals on fixed time periods of one month are too long and out of phase with critical operations and stage of crops development such that their use in agriculture is limited. Discussed here is a procedure whereby these monthly data are used to derive daily normals that are more closely oriented to agricultural applications. Agroclimatic parameters were developed for use in conjunction with these derived daily normals to determine and evaluate the growing seasons for a series of different crops. Normals from 132 stations were used to map determinations of the growing seasons for wheat, a cool season crop, and corn, a warm season crop in the North Central Region. Also presented are maps showing the potential for a second double crop after wheat and agroclimatic zones for corn. Applications of daily normals and agroclimatic parameters to other crops and agricultural situations at specific locations in the North Central Region are also discussed