# US Drought Shrinks to 44% but Corn Belt Dries

> US Drought Monitor coverage in the Lower 48 fell to 44% in the week ending November 3, as heavy rain eased conditions in the West, Plains and Minnesota. Drought expanded across Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri, and the Lower Mississippi Valley worsened, with 84% of rice production areas in drought.

- Date: 2026-11-05 · published 2026-11-05T21:07:49.101Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/82396-us-drought-shrinks-to-44-but-corn-belt-dries
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Rough Rice](https://feedsoft.ai/c/RICE.md)

## Why it matters

Dryness in the southern Corn Belt and Mid-South threatens late-season yields and the rice crop, which can support corn, soybean and rice prices. Improvement in the northern Plains and West offsets only part of the concern.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bullish ▲
- CORN: bullish ▲
- RICE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2023-07-31 | [Drought spreads in US Corn Belt ahead of July's scorching finish](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13260-drought-spreads-in-us-corn-belt-ahead-of-july-s-scorching-finish.md) | -11.7% | -13.2% |
| CORN | 2023-06-20 | [Corn, soybean futures up on fears of Corn Belt drought \| Feed Strategy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/9768-corn-soybean-futures-up-on-fears-of-corn-belt-drought-feed-strategy.md) | -1.6% | -13.3% |
| CORN | 2023-05-26 | [Drought in US Corn Belt reminiscent of both bad and good years](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5564-drought-in-us-corn-belt-reminiscent-of-both-bad-and-good-years.md) | -4.9% | +0.1% |
| CORN | 2022-09-26 | [Percent Drought in US Corn, Bean Areas Highest of Season](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13333-percent-drought-in-us-corn-bean-areas-highest-of-season.md) | -1.4% | +2.6% |
| CORN | 2017-12-08 | [Drought dries out corn and soy profits, raises prices  : The Daily Digest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67323-drought-dries-out-corn-and-soy-profits-raises-prices-the-daily-digest.md) | +2.9% | +5.8% |
| SOY | 2023-07-31 | [Drought spreads in US Corn Belt ahead of July's scorching finish](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13260-drought-spreads-in-us-corn-belt-ahead-of-july-s-scorching-finish.md) | -2.9% | -7.1% |
| SOY | 2023-06-20 | [Corn, soybean futures up on fears of Corn Belt drought \| Feed Strategy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/9768-corn-soybean-futures-up-on-fears-of-corn-belt-drought-feed-strategy.md) | +3.7% | +1.7% |
| SOY | 2022-09-26 | [Percent Drought in US Corn, Bean Areas Highest of Season](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13333-percent-drought-in-us-corn-bean-areas-highest-of-season.md) | -4.3% | -2.1% |

## Sources

- feedandgrain.com: https://www.feedandgrain.com/business-markets/commodities/news/16424436/us-drought-shrinks-to-44-but-corn-belt-dries

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.