Eastern Cornbelt:

Hot, humid weather blanketed much of the Eastern Cornbelt during the first week of July, sparking thunderstorm activity in northern Illinois at midweek after temperatures reached the low-90s. A flash flood watch was issued for Cook and DuPage Counties on July 6 due to the potential for heavy rain.

Scattered thunderstorms also pushed through northern Ohio later in the week, fueled by steamy temperatures in the upper-80s.

Crop conditions continued to deteriorate in the region due to expanding drought in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Just 30-33% of Michigan’s corn and soybeans fell in the good or excellent categories on July 2, compared with 30-36% in Illinois, 52-53% in Indiana, and 61-62% in Ohio.

Western Cornbelt:

Highs in Iowa dropped from the high-80s to the 70s as a cold front pushed into the state late in the week. Spotty showers were also possible over the weekend before high heat and humidity return to the state.

Hot weather fueled some strong thunderstorms across Nebraska during the week, and the rainfall helped alleviate drought in some western areas of the state. Eastern Nebraska remained locked in drought conditions ranging from severe to exceptional, however.

The prior weekend brought strong storms to parts of Missouri, including reports of large hail and strong winds that caused structural damage and power outages in some locations.

Worsening drought conditions in Missouri left just 23-24% of the state’s corn and soybeans in the good or excellent categories on July 2, compared with 43-49% in Nebraska and 53-61% in Iowa. Missouri’s cotton and rice were in better condition, however, with 66-70% of the acreage rated as good or excellent. Nebraska’s sorghum crop was 53% good or excellent on July 2.

California:

While extreme heat continued to bake Southern California, with inland temperatures spiking to the upper-90s and low triple digits, Northern California enjoyed cooler weather during the week, with highs topping out in the 80s.

The winter’s surplus precipitation continued to benefit crops and irrigation districts in California. Approximately 92-95% of the cotton crop in Arizona and California was rated as good or excellent on July 2, with fully 100% of California’s rice crop falling into those two categories.

Pacific Northwest:

While cool, wet weather blanketed much of western Montana during the week, unseasonably dry, hot weather was reported across southern Idaho, Oregon, and western Washington.

Gusty winds and highs in the 90s prompted a red flag fire warning for much of Oregon at midweek, while Boise, Idaho, was bracing for temperatures in the upper-90s and low triple digits as the week progressed.

A statewide drought advisory was issued for Washington on July 5 after the state posted its warmest May on record and received only 47% of normal precipitation between April 25 and June 23. A wide swath of moderate drought was reported in southwestern Washington, northern Idaho, and much of central and western Oregon on July 6.

Good or excellent ratings were assigned to just 21% of Oregon’s winter wheat on July 2, compared with 48-51% in the rest of the region. Spring wheat rated as good or excellent totaled 64% of the acreage in Idaho, 58% in Montana, and 48% in Washington, while barley in those two categories totaled 75% of Idaho’s crop, 54% in Washington, and 34% in Montana.

Western Canada:

Heat warnings and air quality statements were in place for parts of Manitoba in early July, just one week after strong storms on June 28 brought heavy rain, large hail, and at least two possible tornadoes to the province.

Weekend storms also caused widespread power outages across Saskatchewan on July 1-2, but warm and dry conditions prevailed for most of the week that followed. Alberta took the worst weather hit on July 1 when a powerful EF4 tornado touched down south of Calgary, causing significant damage in the town of Didsbury.

British Columbia notched several high heat records on July 5, prompting heat warnings from the national weather agency for the Fraser Canyon area, the Central Coast, the North Coast, and Fort Nelson.