Abnormal dryness and drought remain minimal across most of the US Midwest, with the longer-term outlook also suggesting more of the same for corn and soybean crops.
As can be seen on the US seasonal drought outlook map below, the eastern half of the country is forecast to remain mostly drought-free into the fall, with only smaller pockets of dryness and drought expected to develop or persist in the central and northern Plains.
The outlook is especially favourable for the American soybean crop, which goes through its most weather-sensitive stage of development in August, but is also good news for corn, which sees its most critical stage of development in July.
The temperature outlook for a good part of the central part of the country does lean warmer than normal, although not excessively so.
According to the latest US drought monitor, only about 4% of the American Midwest was experiencing some form of drought as of July 22, the lowest of the current growing season and down sharply from about one-third in late March.
In the No. 1 corn and No. 2 soybean production state of Iowa, where crop condition ratings are among the highest in the country, less than 1% of the state was in drought as of July 22, with just 4% considered abnormally dry.
On a national level, only 9% of the US corn production area was being impacted by drought as of July 22, along with 8% of the soybean area.
