Weather in the Corn Belt will see a return of warm weather, maintaining a rapid corn and soybean harvest pace. Across the Plains, mostly dry weather and record-setting heat prevails in advance of an approaching storm. Rain looks to increase substantially across the Plains hard red wheat belt today through Friday, improving crop establishment in all areas. Midwest corn and soybean harvest will only see minor delays from light rains this coming weekend. Despite the light coverage, Midwest wheat should still derive some benefit. Delta rains late this week and early next week will only impact the very late cotton/soybean harvest, while improving germination conditions. In the South, dry weather throughout the region favors autumn fieldwork, although worsening drought from the Mississippi Delta westward contrasts with post-flood recovery in the Carolinas and environs. Overall, rainfall will be confined to the southwestern and south-central U.S.. Five-day rainfall totals could reach 2 to 5 inches in Oklahoma, Texas and parts of neighboring states. Across the northern Plains and upper Midwest, late-week rainfall could exceed an inch in some locations. Meanwhile, mild, dry weather will prevail in the West and Southeast.

Heavy Rains and Flooding On The Way for Southern Plains: Persistent southeasterly winds will pump moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into the southern High Plains. This will contribute heavy rains as far west as eastern New Mexico, western Texas and western Oklahoma by Wednesday night and Thursday. This rain is then expected to spread across the rest of Texas, Oklahoma and possibly parts of Louisiana and Arkansas by Thursday night or Friday. In addition, moisture and energy from Tropical Depression Twenty-E in the eastern Pacific could be involved in this setup. Forecast models are showing that after it makes landfall in Mexico it will get pulled northeastward into the south-central states.

Southern Plains Soaker