Weather
Warm weather expands across the Heartland
Across the Corn Belt, showers and thunderstorms are overspreading the upper Midwest, where corn and soybean planting has advanced quickly in recent days but remains mostly behind schedule. On May 20, corn planting was at least 10 percentage points behind the respective state averages in South Dakota (66% planted), Wisconsin (56% planted), and Michigan (50% planted).
On the Plains, scattered showers and thunderstorms continue to slow fieldwork but boost topsoil for rangeland, pastures, and summer crops. On May 20, one-quarter to one-third of the rangeland and pastures were rated in very poor to poor condition in Colorado (32%), Kansas (31%), Texas (31%), and North Dakota (26%).
In the South, warm, humid weather prevails, accompanied by scattered showers. Rain is beneficial in the mid- South, parts of which have trended dry in recent weeks. In contrast, very wet conditions have developed in portions of the southern Atlantic States, following a 2-week period with almost daily rainfall.
In the West, cool weather in California contrasts with ongoing warmth in the Pacific Northwest. Locally heavy showers, along with melting snow, are increasing the flood potential in parts of the northern Rockies.
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