Across the Corn Belt, largely dry weather is promoting Midwestern summer crop maturation, especially as temperatures rebound to 80°F or higher later Friday in parts of the western Corn Belt, including much of Iowa, southern Minnesota, and eastern sections of Nebraska and South Dakota.
On the Plains, scattered showers are heaviest in parts of Oklahoma and Texas. The southern Plains’ rain is generally too late for summer crops—but is benefiting drought-stressed rangeland and pastures. Separately, a surge of warmth is occurring across the northern Plains in advance of a weak cold front, which is producing scattered showers.
In the South, lingering heat is confined to Florida and southern Texas. Scattered showers accompany the transition to cooler weather, although amounts are light. Any rain is too late for summer crops—but should benefit pastures and soon-to-be-planted winter grains and cover crops. Louisiana continues to report some of the region’s worst heat- and drought-related agricultural impacts, with 61% of the pastures and 38% of the soybeans rated in very poor to poor condition.
In the West, mostly dry weather—accompanied by near- or above-normal temperatures—favors fieldwork. On September 10, Arizona’s cotton harvest was 11% complete, versus the 5-year average of 5%. Meanwhile, Northwestern winter wheat planting progress ranged from 7% complete in Oregon to 29% complete in Washington. Any lingering Western showers generally extend southwestward from Wyoming.
