Across the Corn Belt, warm weather favors emergence and growth of recently planted corn and soybeans. Rain showers are occurring in a few areas, including the middle Missouri Valley and portions of the central Corn Belt. In general, some of the driest conditions exist across northern corn and soybean production areas, where topsoil moisture (on May 16) was rated at least 40% very short to short from the Dakotas to Michigan.
On the Plains, drought remains a concern across large sections of Montana and the Dakotas, although cooler air is starting to push southeastward from western Canada.
