Looks like the drought in the corn belt is still with us.
DJ Drought Descends Quickly on Parts of U.S. Corn Belt
By Ian Berry
CHICAGO--A recent outbreak of hot, dry weather has brought about a "flash
drought" in parts of the Upper Midwest, according to a weekly government report
Thursday.
The U.S. Drought Monitor showed that a quarter of the Midwest region, which
includes the heart of the corn belt, was in some level of drought as of
Tuesday, up from 7.9% the prior week. The drought was considered severe in 3.7%
of the region, up from zero the prior week.
"Above-normal temperatures and rapidly deteriorating soil moisture conditions
have resulted in what appears to be a late-season flash drought," Anthony
Artusa, the report's author, said.
The drought expanded to 45% of U.S. corn-growing areas, up from 25% the prior
week, and to 38% of soybean-growing areas, up from 16%, the week before, said
U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist Brad Rippey.
After a wet spring across much the of Midwest, conditions were dry for much
of the summer, but drought concerns were mitigated by cool temperatures.
Increasingly high temperatures over the past week, along with continued dry
conditions, have stoked concerns about U.S. crops.
The situation in some places is a mirror image of last year's drought, when
corn farmers in particular suffered through a devastating dry spell while many
soybean crops were saved by late-season rains.
Temperatures in the Upper Midwest have been from 4 to 11 degrees above normal
for the past week, Mr. Artusa said. Parts of the Midwest are on track for one
of the driest Augusts on record, according to the Drought Monitor.
The High Plains region, which stretches from the Dakotas to Kansas, has
remained very dry since last year's historic drought. The Drought Monitor
showed 64% of the region in some level of drought, up from 58.2% the prior
week.