Here is a story about concern over forecasts for lack of rain in the corn belt.
http://www.agriculture.com/weather/news/corn-belt-staying-dry-well-into-july?esrc=agex062416&did=298...
Interesting. I was at an ISU Field Day at the Southeast Iowa Research Farm near Crawfordsville int he southeast quarter of the state on Thursday and one of the extension agents commented a number of times that the forecast was for warmer than normal and normal precipitation for the next 90 days.
Throughout the day, there was sporadic discussion of weather. Those from up in my area have had adequate rains. I know my tile is running and have reports that Washington county tile is running. Farmers from southern Iowa were talking about corn leaves rolling, but the corn looked great at the field day.
There are a couple of questions here. One is that the nodal roots are down and corn is going after the water. The subsoil water varies but rainfall may be more important in some areas than in others, depending on theh current subsoil moisture profile. In other words, lack of rain may do some damamge in some place but not in others. The point is that w can't look at precipitation forecasts and draw immediate conclusions about whether the corn crop will get made. Some will and some won't.
Sure rain makes grain. But no rain doesn't alway make no grain. That's the hard part.
