Autumn in the Corn Belt this year has been a rather warm one, with temperatures since the beginning of September trending the 3rd warmest in 26+ years for the region. But things are about to change as some of the coldest air of the season will start to move into the western Corn Belt on Friday (10/27) and spread across the entire region for the weekend and early next week. Widespread areas of the Central US will see overnight temperatures drop near to below freezing with many seeing lows trend 5-10F colder than normal over the weekend. Even as far south as the Gulf Coast states could see lows falling into the 30s for a night or two. Below normal minimum temperatures are expected to persist through at least mid-week for many. Portions of the Central US could see some above normal lows later in the week but the North Central is expected to trend much colder than normal once again by next weekend. As temperatures take a plunge, the threat of snow increases. Portions of Minnesota and possibly even northern Iowa could receive several inches of snowon Friday (10/27) and/or Saturday (10/28).
While snow falls in the far north, elsewhere across the Corn Belt is expected to trend generally drier than normal over the next 7 days which should aid in harvest efforts. As of October 23rd, corn harvest from the 18 major producing states still trailed the 5-year average pace, this time by 21%. Minnesota’s harvest is the furthest behind with only 14% of the crop harvested and trailing the 5-year average by 41%. Cold and snow over the next few days will likely only lead to further delays for the state. Iowa’s harvest advanced about 10% from last week to 23% harvested, but is now trailing the state’s 5-year average by a wider margin. Last week, progress was 28% behind average. This week, it’s sitting at 32% behind average. In other states…
- Illinois is 62% harvested, 12% behind average
- Indiana is 46% harvested, 13% behind average
- Ohio is 35% harvested, 11% behind average
- Kansas is 65% harvested, 17% behind average
- Nebraska is 26% harvested, 26% behind average
- South Dakota is 19% harvested, 32% behind average
- North Dakota is 17% harvested, 26% behind average
- Wisconsin is 15% harvested, 22% behind average
Michigan is the only northern state to have harvest ahead of average pace. While only 34% of the crop has been harvested, this is 3% ahead of the state’s 5-year average pace of 31%.
As farmers in the US work to harvest their crops before winter, farmers down in Brazil are planting their first crops of corn and soybeans for the 2017/18 season. Not unlike harvest progress in the US, planting in Brazil is off to a slow start. Planting of soybeans was able to start back in mid-September, but dry conditions kept many from an early start. So far, about 20% of the country’s crop is planted, down from 29% last year, but still in line with the country’s average pace. In main-producing state Mato Grosso, planting is trailing both last year and the 5-year average. About 26% of soybeans have been planted in the state, down from about 43% last year and an average of 28%. Since mid-September, rains have been variable across the state but overall have trended below normal and ranked as the 5th driest start to the season in 26 Years. Despite the dry start, rainfall is expected to see improvement. Soybeans in the state can typically be planted through the 3rd week of November. From now through this timeframe (10/26 – 11/21), Mato Grosso rains are forecast to trend above normal and possibly the 6th wettest for the end of typical soybean planting.
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