Across the Corn Belt, cool, dry weather prevails. Drought-affected sections of the Midwest—encompassing about 7% of the region, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor—would greatly benefit from rain, although the majority of U.S. corn and soybeans (69 and 72%, respectively) were rated in good to excellent condition on August 16.
On the Plains, late-summer heat continues to build across Montana and the Dakotas, favoring small grain harvesting. Meanwhile, widely scattered showers dot the central Plains, while dry weather prevails on the southern Plains.
