Weather

Late-season warmth, heat continue for most; scattered showers, t-storms on the increase

Across the Corn Belt, a weakening cold front is producing a few showers, mainly in the Great Lakes region.  However, most of the Midwest remains warm and dry, with Friday’s high temperatures expected to generally range from 80 to 95°F.  Corn and soybeans are drying down quickly amid the ongoing spell of warmth and dryness that has depleted topsoil moisture.

On the Plains, dry weather and above-normal temperatures favor summer crop maturation and harvesting, as well as winter wheat planting.  Friday’s high temperatures will reach 100°F across portions of the southern Plains and should top 90°F as far north as western South Dakota.  In Montana, where 23% of the intended winter wheat acreage had been planted by September 15, a recent boost in topsoil moisture is promoting crop emergence.

In the South, warm, dry weather prevails, with any lingering showers confined to Florida’s peninsula.  Following recent rainfall from Hurricane Francine and Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight, the South is experiencing highly variable soil moisture conditions, often across short distances.  However, some areas that received substantial rain are still noting lingering drought impacts, such as poor pasture conditions and low-yielding summer crops.

In the West, dry weather continues to promote fieldwork, including summer crop harvesting and Northwestern winter wheat planting.  Meanwhile, Western fire activity has generally diminished in recent days, although year-to-date U.S. wildfires have charred more than 7.3 million acres of vegetation, well above the 10-year average of 5.9 million acres.