(Brownfield) – On the Plains, cool conditions across the northern half of the Plains contrast with warm weather in Oklahoma and Texas. The southern Plains’ warmth, along with recent topsoil moisture improvements, favors wheat emergence. On October 9, only 7% of Texas’ winter wheat had emerged, compared to the 5-year average of 35%.
Across the Corn Belt, wet fields, and gusty winds are hampering fieldwork, especially across northern and eastern portions of the region. On October 9 in Ohio, the soybean harvest was 3% complete, compared to the 5-year average of 38%. Similarly, only 5% of Ohio’s winter wheat had been planted, compared to the 5-year average of 41%.
In the South, warm, dry weather favors a return to fieldwork, following recent rainfall. A few showers linger, however, in the southern Mid-Atlantic region.
In the West, warm, dry weather prevails, except for near-normal temperatures and isolated showers across the region’s northern tier. The cotton harvest is running slightly behind schedule in California and Arizona.
