Late summer heat and dryness didn't help this season's corn crop condition. Experts say that heat conditions will continue along with sparse precipitation in the forecast.

After a spell of scorching heat the week prior, the week-ending Sept. 2 brought some relief to the Corn Belt with cooler temperatures. Temperatures trended cooler than normal through much of the week, but hotter weather crept back in late in the week.

Precipitation was sparse with one of the driest ends to August in 30+ years for the Corn Belt, according to data from WeatherTrends360. Unsurprisingly, drought conditions expanded and worsened across much of Iowa and the Upper Midwest in late August 2023. 

Looking ahead to the first full week of September 2023, week-ending Sept. 9, hot weather returns for the Corn Belt. According to forecasts from WeatherTrends360 this will be one of the hottest first weeks of September in 30+ years for the Corn Belt. A cold front is expected to slip through mid-week bringing some mild relief and possibly some showers and thunderstorms, but the chance of precipitation could be widely scattered and warmer than normal temperatures quickly rebuild across the region.

For the week overall, precipitation is expected to trend below normal for the Corn Belt as a whole.

With the heat in recent weeks, the condition of the corn crop has declined according to reports from the United States Department of Agriculture. Sub-surface soil moisture has been lacking much of the season but luckily, the lack of extreme heat in early summer helped to minimize issues with the crop.

The late summer heat has caused some degradation in crop condition, however the situation would have been much worse if the heat had occurred earlier in the crop’s development. 

Rolling into September, interests turn to harvest. Above normal temperatures are expected to continue into mid-September and the lack of substantial precipitation, there should be few headwinds as harvest activities get underway.