Across the Corn Belt, dry weather favors crop development, following a couple of weeks featuring scattered but highly beneficial showers. U.S. corn condition improved to 55% good to excellent by July 9, up from 50% two weeks earlier. Midwestern summer crops are moving into (and through) reproduction, with 22% of the U.S. corn silking and 39% of the soybeans blooming by July 9. Tuesday’s high temperatures will approach 95°F in parts of the southern Corn Belt.
On the Plains, overnight thunderstorms in parts of Oklahoma resulted in flash flooding and localized wind damage. Meanwhile, showers developing across the northern Plains are expected to become more widespread later today. A sharp temperature gradient exists, with Tuesday’s high temperatures expected to remain below 70°F in parts of North Dakota and top 100°F in much of Texas. On July 9, Texas led the region with topsoil moisture rated 62% very short to short.
In the South, lingering showers are generally confined to Florida. Meanwhile, hot weather lingers in the western Gulf Coast region, especially in coastal Texas. Across the remainder of the South, mild, dry weather favors summer crop development.
In the West, pre-monsoon heat continues in the Desert Southwest, where Phoenix, Arizona, reported a high temperature of 110°F or greater on each of the first 10 days of July. However, the Southwestern monsoon circulation is becoming established, as evidenced by increasing humidity levels and widely scattered showers. Meanwhile in the Northwest, hot, dry weather favors fieldwork and winter wheat maturation. On July 9, Oregon led the region with topsoil moisture rated 73% very short to short, followed by Washington at 70%, leading to some stress on spring-sown small grains.
