Eastern Cornbelt:
A frost advisory was issued for parts of northern Ohio early in the week, while potentially strong storms were expected to track through Illinois on Oct. 13, with several inches of rain possible in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The storm threat also included the potential for hail and strong winds.
The regional corn harvest as of Oct. 8 had progressed to 42% complete in Illinois, 21% in Indiana, 13% in Michigan, and 9% in Ohio, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 76% of the acreage in Ohio, 66% in Indiana, 58% in Illinois, and 55% in Michigan.
The soybean harvest was 44% complete in Illinois by that date, compared with 33% in Indiana, 24% in Ohio, and 17% in Michigan. Fully 73% of Ohio’s soybeans were rated as good or excellent, compared with 66% in Indiana, 58% in Illinois, and 51% in Michigan.
Western Cornbelt:
A tornado watch was in effect for portions of central Nebraska on Oct. 12 as strong storms churned through the region. Forecasts warned of possible flash flooding in northeastern Nebraska, southeastern South Dakota, and southwestern Minnesota from up to 3-5 inches of rainfall.
Parts of eastern Iowa were also bracing for up to two inches of rain from showers and thunderstorms that moved through the state on Oct. 11-13.
The corn harvest as of Oct. 8 had progressed to 56% complete in Missouri and 30-32% in Iowa and Nebraska, while the soybean harvest was 52% complete in Iowa and Nebraska and 27% in Missouri. USDA placed 48% of Iowa’s corn and soybeans in the good or excellent categories on that date, compared with 42-47% in Nebraska and 33-44% in Missouri.
Growers also had 23% of Missouri’s cotton, 79% of Missouri’s rice, and 18% of Nebraska’s sorghum crop in the bin by Oct. 8.
Southern Plains:
A late-week cold front brought gusty winds and spotty thunderstorms to parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, with forecasts warning of large hail and 60 mph gusts in some locations. Wind advisories and red flag fire warnings were in effect in both states on Oct. 12-13.
Harvest activities continued at a brisk pace on corn, soybeans, cotton, and sorghum in the Southern Plains, with drought and summer heat taking a toll on crop quality in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The corn harvest as of Oct. 8 was 83% complete in Texas, 64% in Kansas, and 21% in Colorado, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 54% of the acreage in Colorado, 49% in Texas, and 33% in Kansas. Kansas growers also had 39% of the soybeans harvested by that date, with 20% of the crop rated as good or excellent.
Cotton showed the greatest impact from drought, with just 9% of Oklahoma’s crop rated as good or excellent on Oct. 8, compared with 15% in Texas and 39% in Kansas. The sorghum harvest was 88% complete in Texas, 32% in Oklahoma, 29% in Kansas, and 16% in Colorado, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 85% of the crop in Colorado, 45% in Texas, and 32-34% in Kansas and Oklahoma.
South Central:
Temperatures in the mid-70s to low-80s were common across Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky during the week, but frosty lows were possible in some areas by the coming weekend. Coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi were hit with heavy rain during the week, with more than two inches reported in New Orleans.
Growers were chipping away at the fall harvest in mid-October. The corn harvest was estimated at 59% complete in Kentucky and 71% in Tennessee by Oct. 8, with 69-78% of the acreage rated as good or excellent.
The soybean harvest was 93% complete in Louisiana, 82% in Mississippi, 60% in Arkansas, 37% in Tennessee, and 27% in Kentucky, with good or excellent ratings assigned to fully 80% of the acreage in Tennessee, 68-69% in Arkansas and Kentucky, 52% in Mississippi, and 42% in Louisiana.
Louisiana growers had 84% of the cotton picked by Oct. 8, compared with 42% in Mississippi, 32% in Arkansas, and 15% in Tennessee. Good or excellent ratings were assigned to fully 81% of the acreage in Tennessee, 65% in Arkansas, 53% in Mississippi, and 48% in Louisiana.
Southeast:
Needed rainfall moved across parts of northern Florida, eastern Georgia, and the Carolinas on Oct. 12, with cool and breezy conditions expected over the coming weekend.
Strong thunderstorms were reported in central and northern Florida as the week progressed, with the storm threat moving into southern Florida on Oct. 13. Forecasts warned of several inches of rain in some Florida locations.
Growers were harvesting corn, soybeans, cotton, and peanuts in the Southeast in mid-October. North Carolina growers had 92% of the corn and 12% of the soybeans in the bin by Oct. 8, with 68% of the corn and 62% of the soybeans rated as good or excellent.
The cotton harvest was 20% complete in Alabama, 10% in Virginia, and 7-8% in Georgia and the Carolinas, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 47% of the acreage in North Carolina, 54-56% in Alabama and Georgia, 60% in South Carolina, and 96% in Virginia.
The peanut harvest was 55% complete in Florida, 47% in Virginia, 42% in Alabama, 23% in Georgia, 21% in South Carolina, and 15% in North Carolina, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 23% of the crop in Alabama, 41% in Florida, 55-61% in Georgia and North Carolina, 85% in South Carolina, and 91% in Virginia.