Across the Corn Belt, chilly conditions and a few showers across the upper Midwest signal the arrival of autumn conditions. However, such weather is not unusual for early October and should have minimal impact of corn and soybeans that are largely mature or have already been harvested. Cool air is also arriving across the remainder of the Midwest, while showers have ended across the eastern Corn Belt.
On the Plains, chilly air has replaced previously warm conditions. Early Friday, freezes ended the growing season on portions of the northern High Plains. However, the cold weather is having little effect on the region’s summer crops, many of which are mature or have already been harvested.
In the South, scattered showers in the vicinity of a cold front stretch from the Ohio Valley to the central Gulf Coast. Warmth lingers along the Atlantic Seaboard and across the Deep South. Despite recent and ongoing showers, many areas of the South are still in need of additional moisture for winter grains and cover crops, as well as drought-stressed pastures.
In the West, dry weather accompanies temperatures that have largely rebounded to near- or above-normal levels. In fact, heat advisories have been issued by the National Weather Service in near-coastal areas of central and southern California, where Friday’s high temperatures will reach 100°F or higher in some locations. California’s warmth is favorable for harvest activities that have been limited by delayed crop maturation.
