If the latest seasonal drought outlook from the US Climate Prediction Center is accurate, Midwest crops should finish out the growing season without any major drought stress.
As the map below shows, the Midwest is expected to remain mostly drought-free through the forecast period ending Oct. 31. Some current dryness in parts of Ohio and Kentucky is also forecast to be eliminated or at least improve.
With US corn and soybean crops currently rated the best in four years at 68% good to excellent, yield potential remains high. Indeed, strong US production potential has been one of the major factors keeping the pressure on corn and soybean futures which have slumped to multi-year lows.
According to this week’s weekly US drought monitor, drought was impacting less than 4% of the Midwest region as of Tuesday this week, with Iowa – the largest corn and No. 2 soybean production state – completely free of drought and abnormal dryness for the first time in four years.
