Weather

Hot weather on the Plains; storms roll across parts of the Corn Belt

Across the Corn Belt, weekend thunderstorms, although isolated, resulted in some wind- and hail-related damage in parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and northern Missouri.  Early Monday, a weak cold front is producing scattered showers and thunderstorms, primarily from the lower Great Lakes region into the Ohio Valley.  Elsewhere, dry weather continues to promote corn and soybean maturation.  Monday’s high temperatures should range from near 75°F in the vicinity of the Great Lakes to 95°F or higher in the lower Missouri Valley.

On the Plains, a late-season heat wave is promoting summer crop maturation and harvesting—but further reducing soil moisture for the germination and establishment of recently planted winter wheat.  For the second day in a row, maximum temperatures could reach 100°F or higher as far north as the central Plains.

In the South, any notable shower activity is confined to Florida’s peninsula.  Elsewhere, building heat and sunny conditions favor summer crop maturation and fieldwork, including harvest activities.  Monday’s high temperatures will reach 95°F or higher in many locations from the western Gulf Coast region to the Mississippi Delta.

In the West, beneficial showers—albeit light and scattered—are aiding wildfire containment efforts in northern and central California.  The Mosquito Fire—California’s largest of the year to date—has charred more than 76,000 acres of vegetation south of Emigrant Gap and has destroyed more than six dozen structures.  Cooler air has overspread the Pacific Coast States, but warmth prevails farther inland, especially across the Rockies and Desert Southwest.