A hard freeze is forecast across a significant portion of the western Corn Belt, with 14 percent of the U.S. corn crop and 5 percent of the soybean crop at risk of freeze damage, said forecaster Maxar on Wednesday. In addition, heavy snowfall is expected in the northern Plains, with accumulations of 1 to 3 feet possible in central and eastern North Dakota.
With temperatures forecast to drop into the twenties over the weekend, the cold wave will end the growing season for corn and soybeans in the Dakotas, Nebraska, southwestern Minnesota, and western Iowa, said Maxar.
The USDA says crop maturity is far behind normal due to the rainiest spring in a quarter-century. Only 58 percent of the corn crop and 72 percent of soybeans are mature, compared to the usual figures of 85 percent of corn and 87 percent of soybeans for the first week in October. Harvest of the crops is behind average as well.