Weather

Late summer warmth for most; isolated showers and storms in parts of the plains

Across the Corn Belt, warm, mostly dry weather is favoring ripening of summer crops. Such conditions are particularly beneficial in the northwestern Corn Belt, where crop development continues to lag behind normal rates. In Minnesota, only 23% of soybeans were leafing through September 15, compared to the 5-year average of 39%. Nationally, 44% of soybeans were leafing that day, compared to the average of 37%.

On the Plains, scattered rain showers are providing only limited relief from warm, dry conditions that by September 15 had reduced topsoil moisture to just one-half to three-quarters in all Plains states except North Dakota. Despite the rampant dryness, U.S. producers had planted 14% of their planned winter wheat acreage, very close to the mid-September average of 13%. More than a third (35%) of Colorado’s wheat was planted by September 15.

To the south, locally heavy rains continue in the Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, parts of southeastern North Carolina are beginning damage assessment and flood recovery efforts following Monday’s downpours, which totaled 10 inches or more in parts of Brunswick and New Hanover counties. Farther west, the return of dry weather in the Mississippi Delta and surrounding areas is allowing some field work to resume. Following the passage of Hurricane Francine last week, Louisiana’s sugarcane inventory, which is rated good to excellent, declined from 82% to 66% between Sept. 8 and Sept. 15.

In the West, cool, rainy weather is affecting northern parts of the Great Basin and Intermountain West, as well as parts of the Four Corners States. Any precipitation helps increase topsoil moisture and reduce wildfire danger. On September 15, before the last rains, topsoil moisture in all western states except Arizona, California, and Utah was rated very low to low by USDA/NASS at 50 to 80%.