"There's less water in the air coming off the ocean, and that causes storm systems to be less productive with rain, especially along that 40 degree latitude line," says Wyoming based meteorologist Don Day.

Although La Nina might mean a drier year, La Nina weather cycles are known for bringing more extreme weather events including droughts and tornadoes, and there's a high chance of tornadoes across the Midwest this spring. Upon publication of this episode, the United States is in a La Nina weather cycle with a more neutral weather pattern coming soon.

Further reading:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html

https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/impacts-el-nino-southern-oscillation.html

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts guests to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and other industry professionals.

Hosted by Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski.