Across the Corn Belt, scattered showers extend southwestward from the middle Mississippi Valley. The remainder of the Midwest is experiencing warm, dry weather, as crops continue to quickly mature. On September 17, corn reaching full maturity ranged from 19 to 24 percentage points ahead of the respective state 5-year averages in Illinois (70% mature), Iowa (63%), and Minnesota (60%).
On the Plains, unusual warmth favors summer crop maturation. Nearly one-half (47%) of the U.S.
