(Reuters) — Cool temperatures and rain will hit key growing areas in the western U.S. Midwest this weekend but will arrive too late to benefit most of the soon-to-be harvested crops, an agricultural meteorologist said on Friday.
MDA Weather Services said the rain will arrive in western Iowa, Minnesota, and eastern South Dakota starting on Saturday.
The storms are to spread across other areas of the western U.S. Midwest, including southern Iowa, northern Missouri and central Illinois through the weekend before wrapping up on Tuesday.
Total rainfall is expected to range from 1/4 inch to one inch, with Iowa, northern Missouri and Minnesota receiving the most.
In the eastern Midwest, only a few showers are in the short-term forecast, with light rain expected in northern Ohio and Indiana during the weekend.
Some harvest was expected in the eastern areas during the next week if conditions remain dry.
No frost is expected in key production areas during the cool down.
