Weather

Record, near-record setting warmth across the Heartland

On the Plains, dry weather accompanies record-setting warmth. Thursday’s high temperatures will range from near 70° on the northern High Plains to at least 85° on the southern High Plains. In the latter region, winter wheat and rangelands are being stressed by warm, dry conditions. Moisture will soon be need on the northern High Plains, where winter wheat is breaking dormancy.

Across the Corn Belt, very warm weather prevails. Isolated thunderstorms are confined to the eastern Corn Belt. Thursday’s high temperatures will exceed 80° in parts of the southern Corn Belt.

In the South, warm, mostly dry weather is promoting a rapid pace of fieldwork and crop development. Thursday’s temperatures will top 80° in most areas, and will approach 90° in parts of the Southeast.

In the West, widespread precipitation continues to ease drought and improve water-supply prospects across northern California and the interior Northwest. Meanwhile, mild, dry weather covers the Southwest.