Weather
Favorable weather dominates the Corn Belt
Across the Corn Belt, dry weather favors late-season corn and soybean planting, as well as initial winter wheat harvest efforts. On June 4, the wheat harvest was 1% complete in Illinois and Indiana. Meanwhile, at least one-tenth of the corn was rated very poor to poor in Indiana (17%), Illinois (11%), and Ohio (10%), largely due to problems related to cool, wet weather during planting and emergence.
On the Plains, slightly cooler weather prevails in the wake of a recent heat wave. A few showers have developed across the northern Plains, but more widespread rain is needed to help reverse the adverse effects of recent and ongoing dryness on rangeland, pastures, and spring-sown crops. On June 4 in South Dakota, 38% of the winter wheat and 32% of the spring wheat was rated in very poor to poor condition.
In the South, locally heavy showers are providing drought relief across Florida and southern Georgia. Showery weather also prevails elsewhere in the Southeast, slowing winter wheat harvesting and other fieldwork. On June 4, topsoil moisture was 65% surplus in Louisiana, up 51 percentage points from a week ago.
In the West, lingering cool weather is limited to the Rockies and the immediate Pacific Coast. Elsewhere, expanding warmth is promoting crop development, following earlier delays. In California, only 30% of the rice had emerged by June 4, compared to the 5-year average of 79%.
Forecast High Temperatures (National)
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