AccuWeather Thinks Next Week's Heat Wave Could Scorch 30 to 45 Million Bushels of Corn
Triple digit heat blankets the Southwest this week, and forecasters expect the ridge of high pressure to park over the western Corn Belt next week. AccuWeather forecasters project U.S. corn production to be severely impacted.
July is expected to be hot, but it's the intensity of the heat, along with the forecasts for below normal precipitation, that could potentially impact the U.S. corn crop this year.
AccuWeather says the 'heat dome' that intensified over the West this week is expected to expand in the U.S. Underneath that dome sinking air causes temperatures to climb as precipitation and cloud cover tend to be limited.
Read More: USDA's July Report Now Shows Drought Could Trigger Third Largest Loss of Acres in a Major U.S. Crop
AccuWeather is forecasting corn production totals for 2022-2023 to drop to 14.315 billion bushels, but warns that total could be as low as 14 billion bushels considering the upcoming heat and dry forecast. AccuWeather's estimate contradicts what USDA released in its WASDE report Tuesday, showing a 45-million-bushel increase in U.S. corn production to 14.51 billion.
Current Crop Conditions
The most recent U.S. Crop Progress report shows corn conditions held steady this week. USDA shows 64% of the crop is rated "good" to "excellent," the same as last week's report. Wisconsin has the best rated crop, with 19% in the "excellent" category. Drought-plagued North Carolina is showing signs of stress, with USDA rating 43% of the state's crop as "very poor" to "poor." More than 30% of Texas' crop is in the worst two categories.
In the western Corn Belt, where the ridge of high pressure is expected to create the highest heat next week, crop conditions continue to hold on. USDA shows 63% of Nebraska's corn is in "good to excellent" condition.
Read More: Half the U.S. Corn Crop Was Planted in Two Weeks, Now the 10-Day Forecast Shows Signs of Trouble
Global Heat
Forecasters are also watching heat around the globe. AccuWeather meteorologists are warning western Europe could see one of the most significant heat waves in more than 200 years. AccuWeather says the heat is already hitting Portugal and Spain.
"Sevilla, Spain has been one of the hottest spots with the mercury soaring above 105° F (41° C) for eight consecutive days, including a temperature of 112° F (44° C) on Wednesday," according to AccuWeather.
AccuWeather forecasters have Europe's corn production currently pegged at 60.50 million metric tons.
