Early-season heat on the central, southern Plains building northeastward

Across the Corn Belt, another significant rain event is keeping fieldwork at a virtual standstill across the Dakotas and western Minnesota.  In contrast, a sudden heat surge across the remainder of the region favors a gradual acceleration of corn and soybean planting activities, due to rising soil temperatures and drying fields.  Later Monday, high temperatures should reach 90°F or higher in many areas west of the Mississippi River, including parts of Iowa, Missouri, and eastern Nebraska.

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