Weather

A wide-range of temps across the Heartland; generally favorable harvest weather for most

Across the Corn Belt, scattered sub-freezing temperatures were noted Friday morning in the far upper Midwest, mainly from eastern South Dakota into northern Minnesota.  The cool weather is not expected to have a significant effect on maturing summer crops, as 81% of South Dakota’s soybeans were dropping leaves by September 29, while South Dakota’s corn was 96% dented and 62% fully mature.  Meanwhile, brief showers in the vicinity of a cold front extend southwestward from Michigan.  Elsewhere in the Midwest, mild dry weather favors crop maturation and harvesting.

On the Plains, unusual warmth persists across much of Oklahoma, Texas, and southeastern Kansas, where Friday’s high temperatures should range from 85 to 95°F.  Slightly cooler air has overspread the remainder of the region, but the return of warm weather is imminent across the northern High Plains.  Drier areas of the Plains, including much of Nebraska and South Dakota, face an elevated wildfire threat—a concern during the harvest season—as winds begin to increase.

In the South, thundershowers over the northern and western Gulf of Mexico are affecting a few coastal locations from Texas to Florida.  Elsewhere, warm, dry weather favors farming activities, including Southeastern hurricane recovery and damage assessments.  Meanwhile in Louisiana, the sugarcane harvest is underway (6% complete by September 29), just a little over 3 weeks after Hurricane Francine traversed the production area. Tragically, Hurricane Helene has become the fourth deadliest U.S. tropical cyclone of the last 60 years, following Maria (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, 2017); Katrina (U.S. Gulf Coast, including New Orleans, 2005); and Camille (Gulf Coast to Appalachia, 1969).

In the West, record-breaking heat continues from California into the Southwest, while windy conditions have developed farther north.  Northwestern winds, accompanied by dry weather, low humidity levels, and ample fuels, are contributing to a significantly elevated wildfire threat, especially across the northern Great Basin and northern Intermountain West.  In addition, several wildfires—including the 50,000-acre Elk Fire near Dayton, Wyoming—are already actively burning.

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