NEW ULM — Bolstered by warm weather and occasional showers, area corn continued to grow rapidly this week, reaching shoulder high or more in many areas.

Lake Crystal Farm Management Analyst Kent Thiesse said the standard corn growth measure of “knee-high by July 4th” has been replaced by “waist-high to shoulder high by July 4” with today’s corn production.

Current weather conditions are shrinking the Minnesota drought to the southwest corner and north central Minnesota, according to the U.S. Monthly Drought Outlook released Tuesday.

“There is no drought at all from McLeod County northwest to the Alexandria area,” said National Weather Service Chanhassen Meteorologist Joe Strus. “There was moderate drought in an area southwest of the Minnesota River, but a new Minnesota drought map comes out July 2.”

He said Marshall received 5.3 inches of rain in June, 1.2 inches above normal; Sibley County reported four to five inches in June, Fairmont 4.25 inches and Redwood Falls 3.5 inches.

Brown County Storm Spotters reported 2.13 inches in the Comfrey area to 4.16 inches in the New Ulm area in June.

“The general trend was one to two inches below the June average along and south of the Minnesota River,” said Strus. “North of the Minnesota River, near Hutchinson, Willmar and north to Fergus Falls, June rainfall was three to four inches above average.”

June was warmer than average in several areas.

Strus said said the average June temperature was 69.8 degrees in Mankato and 69.7 in Redwood Falls, from 1.8 to .8 degrees warmer than average.

He said the top sustained wind gust for June was 40 mph in Mankato with a peak gust of 55 mph. Both readings were taken on June 28.

Strus predicts a warm and wet first half of July with continued heat and less rainfall on average the second half of July.

Thiesse said Southern Minnesota and North Iowa summer weather this year is a bit different than it was in recent years.

“The Upper Midwest heavy rainfall events and severe storms have been far more localized in nature, compared to the large rainfall events the past few years that caused major flooding and crop loss,” he said. “Moderate rainfall amounts in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa in 2026 have been more favorable for crop growth and development, compared to excessive rainfall events that occurred in 2025 and 2024.

The June 22 weekly USDA Crop Condition Report listed 68% of the U.S. corn crop as “good to excellent,” just slightly less than the 70% favorable rating at this point in 2025.

The June 22 weekly USDA Crop Report listed 66% of the U.S. soybean crop as “good to excellent,” the same rating as a year ago in late June.

For more information, visit www.weather.gov/crh/outlooks.