Weather
Favorable Corn Belt weather in most locales
In the Corn Belt, mild, mostly dry weather favors corn and soybean development, as well as winter wheat harvesting. In Illinois, the winter wheat harvest was 65% complete by June 18, compared to the 5-year average of 24%. Currently, showers are developing in a few areas, primarily across the western Corn Belt.
On the Plains, very warm weather accompanies widely scattered showers. During the last month, a drying trend has reduced topsoil moisture and boosted irrigation demands. In Oklahoma, topsoil moisture was rated one-half very short to short on June 18, up 29 percentage points from the previous week. On the northern Plains, however, recent rains have provided drought relief for some rangeland, pastures, and spring-sown crops.
In the South, the primary threat from Tropical Storm Cindy is heavy rain, which continues to spread across the Gulf Coast. Early Wednesday morning, Cindy was centered about 165 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, moving toward the northwest at 8 mph. Cindy’s heaviest rain is displaced to the north and east of the center.
In the West, a record-setting heat wave continues across much of California and the Southwest. Several large Southwestern wildfires have spread in the pre-monsoon heat, and irrigated crops are requiring frequent watering. However, the hot weather also favors fieldwork, including the previously delayed winter wheat harvest in California. On June 18, the California wheat harvest was 5% complete, versus the average of 61%.
Add Comment