Heat and drought threaten to take their toll on the northern part of the corn belt in the coming weeks.
The ongoing Midwest drought has the potential to have the greatest impact since 1988.
The impact of heat and drought is likely to spread into more of the Midwest through the weekend.
Just like areas farther south in corn country in the Midwest during late June and early July, the building heat, combined with diminishing rainfall, could affect the maturity and eventual production of the crop farther northwest.
According to Nathan Fields, Director of Biotechnololgy and Economic Analysis for the National Corn Growers Association, "Producers up north still have a tremendous amount of yield potential left in their crop, provided they get timely rains."
AccuWeather.com agricultural meteorologists are concerned that new and frequent waves of near-100-degree temperatures and stingy rainfall will further stress crops over Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska into mid-August.
Drought in Some Corn Areas Likely to Get Worse
Progress of the corn in Iowa and Nebraska during the past couple of weeks had greatly slowed as a result of the recent extreme temperatures and lack of rain. Only areas that rely on irrigation, such as portions of Kansas and Arkansas have been spared the worst.
Seed companies claim that compared to 1988, corn varieties are more drought resistant. Unfortunately, even drought-resistant corn needs some rain and a break from the heat to recover.
The stress on even drought-resistant varieties from the central Plains to part of the Upper Midwest may not only result in lower yields by harvest time, but may also bring total crop failures at the local level.
While the overall upcoming pattern supports sporadic rainfall in some eastern and northern areas of the Midwest, there will still be significant areas that receive little or no rain within this zone.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-n ... -spr/67860
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-n ... days/67906
