Weather

An autumn storm begins its development across parts of the Heartland

Across the Corn Belt, dry weather prevails, aside from a few showers in northern Missouri and environs.  Scattered frost was reported Wednesday morning, mainly from the upper Mississippi Valley into the middle Ohio Valley.  With 89% of the nation’s corn mature on October 8 and 93% of the soybeans dropping leaves, producers are harvesting as quickly as possible in advance of an approaching storm system.  A higher percentage of crops in the eastern Corn Belt are not yet ready for harvest, with less than two-thirds of the corn fully mature in Michigan (53%) and Ohio (63%).   

On the Plains, warmth is surging northward in advance of an approaching cold front, accompanied by gusty winds.  Across the southern half of the Plains, Wednesday’s high temperatures should range from 85 to 90°F, supporting summer crop harvesting and winter wheat planting.  Farther north, a few showers are spreading across Montana’s high plains.

In the South, drought-easing rain is falling in the western and central Gulf Coast States.  The rain is too late for most summer crops but should boost topsoil moisture, benefit winter grains, and help revive pastures.  On October 8, more than one-half of the rangeland and pastures were rated in very poor to poor condition in Texas (68%), Louisiana (67%), and Mississippi (52%).  Meanwhile, the Mississippi River at Memphis, Tennessee, fell to a record-low level early today, approximately 8 inches below the low-water mark established on October 21, 2022. 

In the West, cool, showery weather prevails from the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies, with snow falling at high-elevation sites.  Meanwhile, lingering warmth is confined to the Four Corners States.  On October 8, the cotton harvest was 19% complete in Arizona and 5% complete in California, behind the respective 5-year averages of 23 and 11%.