Note: This national roundup offers a broad, agriculture-focused overview of recent conditions and the next 7 days. Microclimates vary; confirm field-level details with your local National Weather Service office or extension service.

Last 24 Hours: Conditions Across Key U.S. Farm Regions

Mid-September typically brings a mix of late-summer heat in the South, early autumn fronts across the northern tier, and lingering monsoon moisture in parts of the Southwest. Over the past day, that pattern favored generally dry harvest windows in many interior locations while shower clusters dotted several coastal and higher-elevation belts.

Corn Belt and Upper Midwest

Field conditions were mixed but leaned favorable for late-season scouting and early harvest prep. Many locales experienced dry hours between weak, fast-moving disturbances. Any showers were generally brief, with the more persistent activity tending toward the Great Lakes belts where on-and-off light rain and increased cloud cover could have slowed drying.

Northern Plains

Seasonal frontal passages kept winds occasionally gusty on the High Plains, with spotty light showers in favored bands. Large areas stayed dry enough to support small grains wrap-up and pre-harvest corn/soy bean checks.

Central/Southern Plains

The last day favored largely dry to partly cloudy conditions for Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas row crops and pasture, with localized afternoon storms possible near differential heating boundaries. Recent warmth maintained evapotranspiration pressures where rainfall has been limited.

Delta and Southeast

Humid air maintained scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, most numerous near the Gulf and Atlantic coastal corridors. Cotton and peanut areas saw highly variable rainfall—helpful where soils were dry, but interruptions likely where slow-moving downpours developed.

Southwest

Late-season monsoon influence supported hit-or-miss thunderstorms over higher terrain and some valleys. Localized heavy downpours were possible under slow cells, with dry lightning a concern on the fringes.

Pacific Northwest

Onshore flow and a weak trough supported light showers in the coastal ranges and some interior mountains, while interior valleys were largely dry. Temperatures ran near seasonal for mid-September, aiding small fruit and hop operations where fields were dry.

California and Central Valley

Predominantly dry and seasonable to warm, supporting harvest of nuts, grapes, and processing tomatoes. Afternoon breezes occasionally elevated fire-weather concerns in foothills.

Northeast

Intermittent showers and increased cloud cover affected parts of New England and the Mid-Atlantic, with many interior valleys seeing extended dry breaks. Soil moisture gradients remained sharp—wetter near recent storm tracks, drier inland.

The Next 7 Days: Regional Forecast and Farm Implications

National Pattern Snapshot

• Temperature: Near- to above-normal warmth expands across the southern half of the country early in the week; a couple of cooler shots progress from the Northwest into the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest mid- to late-week.
• Precipitation: Widely scattered showers/thunderstorms persist along the Gulf and Southeast coasts and over the Southwest high terrain. Two weak-to-moderate frontal waves sweep the northern tier, each with bands of light to locally moderate rain.
• Tropical monitoring: We are in peak Atlantic hurricane season. Growers from Texas to the Carolinas should monitor Gulf/Atlantic updates daily for any developing systems that could quickly alter rainfall and wind risks.

Corn Belt and Upper Midwest

• Rain: Intermittent, generally light to locally moderate episodes tied to passing fronts, with the wetter corridors tending toward the Upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes. Many central Corn Belt counties see multiple dry intervals conducive to fieldwork.
• Temperatures: Mild early; a cooler, drier push likely mid- to late-week behind a front, improving grain dry-down but potentially increasing nighttime humidity and dew formation.
• Impacts: Harvest prep and spot starts progress between showers. Watch for brief lodging/wind risk under stronger frontal gusts. Foliar disease pressure fluctuates with humidity spikes.

Northern Plains

• Rain: Light, fast-moving showers to modest bands with each frontal passage; many locations remain on the lighter side. Highest chances near the Canadian border and in favored upslope zones.
• Temperatures: Swingy—warmer ahead of fronts, cooler behind. Late-week mornings could trend crisp in Montana and the western Dakotas under clear skies.
• Impacts: Good windows for small grain wrap-up and early-row crop operations; brief pauses during frontal passages. Rangeland benefits from cooler late-week periods.

Central and Southern Plains (including Texas)

• Rain: Widely variable. Most areas lean drier overall, with isolated to scattered storms—most numerous along lingering boundaries and the western High Plains. Any tropical moisture influx from the Gulf would locally enhance rain near the coast and into eastern Texas—monitor updates.
• Temperatures: Seasonable to warm, with heat peaking early to midweek in Texas and Oklahoma before modest moderation.
• Impacts: Cotton bolls maturing benefit from dry stretches; moisture-stressed pasture/range may see continued pressure where rains miss. Maintain livestock heat-stress protocols during warmer afternoons.

Delta and Southeast

• Rain: Daily chances of scattered showers and thunderstorms, highest along Gulf/Atlantic coastal belts and the Florida Peninsula. Inland Delta sees more selective activity with long dry breaks.
• Temperatures: Warm and humid overall; slight dips behind any weak front reaching the interior Southeast midweek.
• Impacts: Cotton, peanuts, and late soybeans contend with stop-and-go field access near heavier downpours. Disease management remains a focus under humidity. Watch tropical updates for rapid changes in the coastal outlook.

Southwest

• Rain: Scattered, terrain-driven storms mainly during the afternoon/evening, with locally heavy downpours in Arizona/New Mexico highlands. Activity gradually becomes more isolated later in the week.
• Temperatures: Seasonable to warm; modest cooling where convective clouds persist.
• Impacts: Brief flash-flood concerns in slot canyons/washes. Vineyard and specialty crop operations should plan around short-lived storm windows and possible outflow winds.

California and Central Valley

• Rain: Predominantly dry across the Central Valley and coastal ranges; minor shower chances brush far northern mountains with passing Pacific energy.
• Temperatures: Near- to slightly above-normal inland heat early week; modest cooling with delta breezes at times.
• Impacts: Favorable for harvest logistics of nuts, grapes, and processing crops. Afternoon winds elevate dust and fire-weather concerns near foothills and dry rangeland.

Pacific Northwest

• Rain: Light showers at times in coastal and Cascade zones, with a better chance midweek as a trough deepens. Inland basins largely see light, brief events.
• Temperatures: Near seasonal, trending cooler mid- to late-week behind the trough.
• Impacts: Pasture conditions stabilize with periodic moisture and cooler temperatures. Hop and orchard operations plan for short, manageable rain interruptions.

Northeast

• Rain: Occasional showers, especially northern New England and the Appalachians, with longer dry windows for the Mid-Atlantic. A midweek front may bring a more organized band of rain.
• Temperatures: Mild to warm ahead of fronts, cooler and drier behind—classic early-fall feel late week.
• Impacts: Haymaking windows improve late week after frontal passage. Specialty crop harvests can target the drier, breezier periods for better drying.

Day-by-Day Planning Guide

• Weekend: Warmth persists across the South; scattered Gulf/Southeast and Southwest storms. Northern tier sees a glancing frontal passage with spotty light rain.
• Mon–Tue: Ridge holds in the South with continued warmth; another shortwave tracks through the Northwest into the Northern Plains with light to moderate rain bands and breezy periods.
• Wed–Thu: Front sags into the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes/Northeast with a more organized rain line; cooler air filters in behind it. Gulf and Southeast maintain daily thunder chances.
• Fri: Cooler, drier air settles into the northern tier; broad areas enjoy improved field drying. Southern tier stays seasonably warm with isolated to scattered convection near coasts and higher terrain.

Key Ag Risks and Opportunities

• Harvest Windows: Central Corn Belt, interior Delta, and much of the Plains see multiple workable windows, especially late week after frontal passage.
• Excess Moisture Pockets: Coastal Southeast, Florida, and localized monsoon zones in the Southwest may face repeated, short-notice downpours.
• Heat Stress: Early-week heat in Texas/Oklahoma and portions of the Deep South warrants livestock cooling strategies and irrigation checks for sensitive specialty crops.
• Wind and Lodging: Frontal gusts across the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest midweek could stress tall, late-maturing corn—prioritize scouting in wind-prone fields.
• Early-Fall Chill: Radiational cooling late week in parts of the Northern Rockies/High Plains could bring crisp mornings; no widespread frost signal, but sheltered valleys should monitor nighttime lows.
• Tropical Season: Maintain readiness along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts; track daily updates for any system that could rapidly change rainfall/wind outlooks.

Actionable Takeaways for Producers

• Time fieldwork around early-week warmth in the South and late-week drying behind the northern-tier front.
• Deploy disease management in humid belts (Southeast, Delta, Great Lakes) where dew and intermittent showers elevate leaf wetness duration.
• Stage harvest crews and equipment in central U.S. zones anticipating extended dry intervals, but keep flexibility for brief, fast-moving showers.
• Use late-week cooler, breezier conditions in the northern tier for grain dry-down and hay curing where soils allow.
• In monsoon-prone and coastal areas, keep drainage clear and avoid low-lying field operations ahead of afternoon storms.

For local hour-by-hour details, consult your nearest NWS office and extension advisories, especially if a tropical system or stronger front is indicated for your area.