Dry weather across northern U.S.; heat across the West; unsettled weather central & South

Dry weather across northern U.S.; heat across the West; unsettled weather central & South

Across the Corn Belt, mild, dry weather from the Dakotas to Michigan is nearly ideal for previously delayed summer crop planting efforts.  On May 7, double-digit planting delays for corn were noted in Wisconsin (14% planted, versus 25% on average), Michigan (6 vs. 18%), and North Dakota (1 vs. 11%).  Meanwhile, rain is falling in parts of the southern Corn Belt, extending as far north as southern Iowa. 

On the Plains, mild, dry weather in Montana and the Dakotas favors fieldwork, including barley and spring wheat planting. 

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