Weather

Hot, dry weather covers much of the Plains

On the Plains, cooler air is overspreading Montana. Elsewhere, hot, mostly dry, breezy conditions are increasing the threat of wildfire activity and maintaining stress on rangeland and pastures. On September 9, nearly all (97%) of the rangeland and pastures were rated very poor to poor in Nebraska.

Across the Corn Belt, dry weather accompanies a warming trend. In the eastern Corn Belt, pastures continue to benefit from recent soil moisture improvements. Meanwhile, crops are maturing rapidly, with corn harvest underway in all Midwestern States except Wisconsin. By September 9, the corn harvest had passed the halfway mark (53%) in Missouri, and was nearly one-sixth (15%) complete nationally.

In the South, dry weather favors summer crop maturation and harvest activities for crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, peanuts, sorghum, and rice.

In the West, showers associated with a monsoon surge are primarily affecting parts of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and western Colorado. The rain is slowing fieldwork but benefiting drought-stressed rangeland and pastures. Meanwhile in the Northwest, winter wheat planting is proceeding on schedule.