Weather

Summer-like warmth on the Plains; cool, unsettled weather lingers in the eastern Corn Belt

Across the Corn Belt, a compact, slow-moving storm system centered near Lake Erie is resulting in cool conditions and beneficial showers in portions of the eastern Lakes States.  Wednesday’s high temperatures will remain below 80°F in Michigan and portions of neighboring states.  Meanwhile, warm, dry weather prevails west of the Mississippi River.  On June 11, Midwestern topsoil moisture rated very short to short ranged from 35% in North Dakota to 91% in Michigan, with values greater than 70% very short to short observed in every Corn Belt State east of the Mississippi River. 

On the Plains, hot, dry weather along and near the Canadian border favors fieldwork and rapid crop development.  Hot weather also prevails in Texas, excluding the state’s northern tier.  Between areas of hot, dry weather, below-normal temperatures and scattered thundershowers are occurring.  Rangeland, pastures, and summer crops continue to benefit from recent topsoil moisture improvements, although a core drought area persists across the central Plains.

In the South, hot, humid weather along and near the Gulf Coast contrasts with relatively cool weather farther north.  Most Southern crops are growing well, with more than two-thirds of the U.S. rice and peanuts—67 and 69%, respectively— rated in good to excellent condition on June 11.  In addition, more than 60% of the cotton was rated good to excellent on that date in all Southeastern States. 

In the West, lingering warmth is confined to an area stretching from the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies.  Short-term drought is adversely affecting some small grains across the interior Northwest, with 44% of Oregon’s winter wheat rated in very poor to poor condition on June 11.  On that date, Oregon led the western U.S. with topsoil moisture rated 70% very short to short.  In contrast, cool weather and scattered showers are focused across the Intermountain West.