According to today's Weather and Crop Bulletin report of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the windstorm, which emerged from the central Plains early in the day, later raked southern Iowa, northern Missouri, central Illinois, and central and southern Indiana; widespread wind gusts ranged from 60 to 100 mph.
However, thunderstorms associated with the derecho provided beneficial moisture, with showery weather extending to other days during the second half of the week.
In fact, drought-easing rainfall broadly totaled 1 to 3 inches or more from the central Plains into the Ohio Valley, just as early-planted corn and soybeans were entering the reproductive stage of development.
In contrast, hot, dry weather expanded from the southern Plains into the Southeast, stressing reproductive summer crops.