Volatile Weather Threatens US Farm Crops Ahead of Harvest
The US farm weather situation has become increasingly volatile as drought continues to pressure Western farms while harvest advances in the Corn Belt. A cold front brought cooler weather to the Midwest, but a storm system is expected to affect the northern United States, with severe thunderstorms possible across the upper Midwest and surrounding areas by Friday.
Across the West, dry conditions remain entrenched, damaging rangeland, pastures, immature summer crops, and surface-water supplies. In Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, between 50% and 70% of pasture and rangeland was rated very poor to poor as of September 6.
The Corn Belt saw cooler and drier air behind the cold front providing generally favorable conditions for combines moving through southern production areas. Five percent of the US corn crop had been harvested by September 6, with Missouri leading Midwestern states at 14% and Illinois at 3%.