Map produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center

The USDA Crop Progress reports continue to show a deterioration in the corn crop condition. A major contributor has been consistent heat waves, especially in the eastern Corn Belt.

The National Weather Service predicts the next two weeks will bring average to above-average precipitation to much of the Corn Belt. The only areas where drought conditions are predicted include the Dakotas and northern Minnesota. Temperatures are still expected to rise above weekly averages.

The next heat wave to hit the United States is expected later in July. This is expected to cause more difficulties in the western half of the Corn Belt. The latest CPC projection has Colorado in the eye with temperatures well above the seasonal average. At the same time, the eastern half of the state is predicted to experience less precipitation than average.

Eastern Colorado, western Kansas, north Texas, and the panhandle of Nebraska are expected to have less precipitation than the average.

Read more on the evolving weather patterns here.