Weather

Organized rain on parts of the Great Plains, western Corn Belt

Across the Corn Belt, most areas are experiencing a brief period of dry weather between cold fronts. However, showers and thunderstorms are overspreading the western Corn Belt, providing beneficial moisture for corn and soybeans that have been weathering very dry conditions in recent weeks. In Iowa, for example, topsoil moisture was rated 63% very short to short on August 13, according to USDA.

On the Plains, unsettled, showery weather prevails. Some of the heaviest rain is falling across the northern Plains, where the boost in soil moisture is aiding immature crops but arriving too late for most spring-sown small grains. In addition, most of the rain is bypassing Montana. On August 13, Montana led major production states in barley rated very poor to poor (32%), while South Dakota led in very poor to poor ratings for spring wheat (75%), sorghum (38%), corn (31%), and soybeans (22%).

In the South, a broken line of showers stretches from Virginia to Arkansas. Other areas of the South are experiencing warm, humid weather with isolated showers. Most areas have abundant to locally excessive moisture for pastures and immature summer crops; on August 13, topsoil moisture was rated 56% surplus in Mississippi, along with 46% in Louisiana and 32% in Alabama.

In the West, significant rainfall is generally confined to Wyoming. Meanwhile, the Northwest is experiencing a temporary reprieve from unusually hot conditions, as well as an improvement in air quality.

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