Heat Threatens Spring Wheat, Corn Outlook; House Approves Up to $12B in Farm Aid

AccuWeather senior meteorologist and lead long-range weather forecaster Paul Pastelok makes note of current crops and heat conditions that he gets a lot of questions about.

“The spring wheat is something else that people were concerned about because the hard red winter wheat didn't do very well because of the freezes that we saw in the winter, but the spring wheat it's not as good as last year, but it's still pretty good. They've had some precipitation in Dakotas and Montana, but it's been pretty hot at times, and so I do think the yields will be a little bit less going into October and September. There, actually September mostly, but I do feel that there it's going to be a little lower than last year. The corn we planted a little less this year, and so people have been asking me, "What do you think about this heat? Is it going to is it going to be is it going to be bad? I think as we get through early August with nothing too high as far as 100 degree heat, I think we're going to be pretty good.”

Pastelok adds that the high pressure situation over the middle of the country is causing extreme heat, and the concern is whether or not it will expand or remain situated over the plains states. In other ag news, the U.S. House has approved a $95 billion budget resolution that includes up to $12 billion in aid for farmers facing financial challenges, the resolution was passed on a party-line vote of 216 to 214.