The forecast for the final week of July is predicting brief relief for the Corn Belt, before picking back up with intense heat in August. Average temperatures and above-average precipitation are a welcomed site for farmers after coming on the heels of one of the hottest, driest weeks in 30+ years. The eastern areas of the Corn Belt are expected to have the most favorable chances to receive significant precipitation, with the central and western areas a bit more hit or miss.

Ongoing intense heat combined with already-dry conditions has stressed crops throughout the country, extending beyond the Corn Belt across portions of northeast Texas, Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, the southern half of Missouri, and Arkansas. Farmers will continue to monitor the forecasts in hopes of additional relief in August.

Read more on the Corn Belt forecast to wrap up July.