Across the Corn Belt, low clouds and breezy, chilly conditions linger east of the Mississippi River, where Friday’s high temperatures will remain mostly below 50°F. Meanwhile, warm weather has returned across the western Corn Belt, allowing fieldwork, such as oat planting, to resume in drier areas. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the only remaining Midwestern patch of Extreme Drought (D3) covers 11.5% of Iowa.
On the Plains, a significantly elevated wildfire threat exists—especially across eastern sections of Colorado and New Mexico, as well as western areas of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas—due to strong, gusty winds, low humidity levels, and ample fine fuels, such as dried grasses.
