Across the Corn Belt, a low-pressure system is drifting northeastward across the Great Lakes region. Cloudy, showery weather lingers across parts of the eastern Corn Belt, where Tuesday’s high temperatures will generally range from 70 to 80°F. Nationally, both corn and soybeans are maturing at a slightly slower-than-normal pace; on September 11, one-quarter of the U.S. corn crop was fully mature, versus the 5-year average of 30%.
On the Plains, very warm, dry weather prevails, especially from Nebraska southward. Conditions are nearly ideal for fieldwork, including harvest activities and winter wheat planting. However, topsoil moisture was rated more than one-half very short to short on September 11 in each of the region’s states, ranging from 54% in Texas and North Dakota to 93% in Montana. Substantial topsoil moisture shortages also plague Kansas (86% very short to short) and Nebraska (82%).
