An Early Fall?

BY JIM TAYLOR, FARM WEEK NOW

August is the last full month of summer, but the weather forecast calls for temperatures to start to moderate toward fall-like levels, said DTN Chief Agriculture Meteorologist Bryce Anderson.

“The situation over much of the central and eastern Corn Belt is going to be one that is not as hot over the next week to 10 days, with more seasonal temperatures,” Anderson told the RFD Radio Network® on Tuesday.

Rain chances will also be better during that time period.

“Several areas of rainfall are going to form,” Anderson said. “The heaviest rain is actually going to be farther south and southwest in Oklahoma and Texas, and they’re going to take every drop they can get.”

He expects anywhere from a half-inch to 1 inch of rain in most parts of Illinois, with locally higher amounts.

“The big deal is that temperatures are going to be generally on a seasonal track for this time of the year,” Anderson said. “Considering that we’re looking at corn that is being pushed in terms of its development, I think that maybe a little bit of a reprieve on that (high temperatures) would help out the corn-fill situation.”

The conditions should also benefit soybeans during the pod-fill stage.

“This is a decent pattern and is certainly better than just being hot and dry at this time of the year,” Anderson said.

The first day of fall is Sept. 22.