Weekend weather in Argentina was as expected...which meant that it was dry and increasingly warm.
For Cordoba, highs were largely around the 95 to 96 degree mark for both Saturday and Sunday. It is the state of Cordoba, that normally ranks either number one or number two each year in Argentine corn and soybean production, that should be the main focus of concern right now. That state really missed a lot of the good rains last week (three key locations that I track there have gone at least eight straight days with no rain) that fell in the rest of the main Argentine growing areas.
Stress levels will be up another notch on this Monday as it will stay dry and temperatures will at least be in the middle to upper 90s (but one should fully expect a few spots reaching 100 degrees or a little higher).
However, beyond today, forecasts call for relief for Cordoba, as rains are going to start to fall tomorrow and last right into Wednesday night. It is a solid rainfall threat, and one that should bring most of Argentina at least some 0.50-2.00" rains (and Cordoba is in the mix of seeing some of the best amounts).
There will likely be more rains in Argentina for the first part of next week, and again Cordoba will be in the mix for those chances. One has to still be quite optimistic about the overall crop prospects for Brazil. We are closing in on the most important time of year for the soybean crop in southern Brazil, and right on cue that area is going to have a wet work-week period with some 1-3 inch rains forecast for Rio Grande do Sul and Parana in Brazil (as well as for soybean growing areas of neighboring Paraguay).
It is not going to rain all that much through Friday further north in Brazil, which is good news in keeping Asian Rust problems down, allowing for treatment of that disease, and even allowing for combines to roll in a few fields that are already set to be harvested.
