A continuous cool, wet pattern across Illinois decreased winter wheat conditions this past week.
The USDA gives Illinois winter wheat a condition rating of 45% good to excellent, down 6 percentage points on the week and well below the 69% rating at this time last year. Four percent of the crop has headed, in line with the five-year average.
Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford tells Brownfield warmer temperatures in the 8-14 day forecast for the state provide some hope that wheat conditions will improve in the coming weeks.
