The dry, warm weather forecast should continue over the Upper Midwest and will aid the corn crop, says AccuWeather.com. Weather conditions are generally expected to be favorable for maturation of the corn crop over the coming weeks.
Corn used for grain and feed needs warm, dry weather to cure in the late summer and early autumn. It appears after a wet and soggy summer in part of the Corn Belt, conditions throughout the region will be nearly perfect over the next few weeks.
It has been a hot summer throughout the Corn Belt, and it appears temperatures will continue to run well above normal over the next six to eight weeks.
However, according to agricultural meteorologist Dale Mohler, "In most cases we are looking at highs in the 80s to near 90°, rather than the 90s and 100° readings that frequented so many areas, especially in the south."
This combined with much less frequent rain in northern areas should greatly favor maturation of the corn, necessary drying and fieldwork.
There will be some episodes of rain as one would expect during September and October, but not the repeating deluges experienced during the early and mid-summer.
"If the pattern holds as expected, we could be looking at a near-record crop," according to Mohler.
"Some of the best yields may come out of Minnesota and northern Iowa, north of the previously saturated areas," Mohler adds. The warm weather over the summer has advanced corn development in most areas.