Scattered rains across the Heartland; heat dominates the South

Across the Corn Belt, warm weather is promoting a rapid pace of crop development, following extensive spring planting delays.  High temperatures near or slightly above 90°F should occur later Friday in much of the Midwest.  Scattered thundershowers in the western Corn Belt are locally improving topsoil moisture, which on June 19 was rated 44% very short to short in Nebraska.

On the Plains, hot weather favors winter wheat maturation and harvesting across the southern half of the region, where Friday’s high temperatures will broadly range from 100 to 105°F. 

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