Across the Corn Belt, cool, dry weather prevails in the wake of a cold front’s passage. Friday’s Midwestern high temperatures will remain mostly below 80°F, with readings staying below 70°F all day in the upper Great Lakes region. Crops are maturing at a faster-than-normal pace in drier areas of the western Corn Belt, with the corn harvest just getting underway in a few areas—and 2% complete in Missouri by September 3.
On the Plains, warm, dry weather favors fieldwork, including summer crop harvesting and initial winter wheat planting efforts. By September 3, winter wheat planting had not yet begun in Oklahoma and Texas, but elsewhere ranged from 1% complete in Colorado, Kansas, and Montana to 8% complete in South Dakota. However, producers in many areas remain concerned about a lack of soil moisture for winter wheat germination and establishment.
In the South, record-setting heat in the western Gulf Coast region continues to hasten summer crop maturation and harvesting.
