High pressure dominates the midwest weather this AM. A High pressure center is slowly drifting eastward from northwest MO and will be expanding across the mid Mississippi Valley the next few days.

Southerly winds will begin to increase across the western and northern cornbelt states later today and continue tonight into tomorrow. This strong wind an indication of a low level jet stream will increase the chances of rain especially at night over the northwestern cornbelt region tonight and tomorrow.

As much warmer air expands northward later this week, scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast along a trough line or warm front from west to east across IA, IL and IN for Friday night. Hot weather is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, maybe some record Highs, over the southern and central portions of the cornbelt. Meanwhile numerous thunderstorms will continue to develop along a frontal boundary over the northern cornbelt.

Memorial Day is questionable right now, the weather could be clearing in the northwest cornbelt with an increasing change of scattered storms in IA and parts of NE, KS and MO during the day expanding eastward over northern IL sometime Monday afternoon or evening. These storms could continue to develop further south on Tuesday and Wednesday. As the jet stream lowers over the midwest cooler weather will overspread a large portion of the cornbelt as a trough of low pressure develops across the region.

With corn planting at 96% nationally and soybean planting moving at a very rapid pace, much of the midwest could use a substantial soaking rain to stimulate germination and vigorous early growth. Most weather models seem to be suggesting that next week will bring beneficial rains to some portions of the midwest.

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