Farmers, agronomists and researchers across the Midwest now have a one-stop shop for climate and agricultural data thanks to the Ag Climate Dashboard from Purdue University's Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), supported by the United Soybean Board. This centralized hub brings together real-time weather insights, historical records and decision-support tools — all tailored to agriculture in the Midwest.
The Ag Climate Dashboard is packed with features such as:
- Recent conditions: View interactive maps and summaries of temperature, precipitation, drought and extreme weather events across the Corn Belt.
- Forecasts: Access short- and long-term outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center, including seven-day, monthly and seasonal forecasts for temperature, precipitation and drought.
- Climatology: Explore historical climate data, freeze and frost dates, soil temperature trends and growing season statistics.
- Products & Tools:
- Growing Degree Day (GDD) calculators for crop development tracking.
- Pest and disease forecasting maps to anticipate threats such as alfalfa weevil.
- AgRisk Viewer for analyzing crop insurance loss data.
- Climate summaries and data viewers for customized climate analysis.
- State resources: Find localized tools and weather networks, such as the Purdue Mesonet and Indiana State Climate Office.
For example, here's a snapshot of October 2025 drought conditions in the Midwest using data from the Ag Climate Dashboard:
October 2025 brought a mix of warmer-than-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation across much of the Midwest, intensifying drought concerns in several regions.
Drought Conditions
- Central and Eastern Corn Belt: Areas from eastern Iowa through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio experienced moderate to severe drought (D1–D2), with some pockets reaching extreme drought (D3).
- Soil moisture: Topsoil moisture levels were reported as short to very short in many counties, especially in eastern states.
- Crop impacts: While corn and soybean harvests were ahead of the five-year average in southern and eastern areas, standability issues were noted in drought-stressed crops. Pasture and range conditions were rated poor to very poor in up to 60% of areas surveyed.
Temperature Trends
- Temperatures were consistently above average, especially in early October, contributing to rapid crop maturation and dry-down.
- This warmth, while not extreme, accelerated evapotranspiration, further drying soils and stressing vegetation.
Precipitation Patterns
- Rainfall was spotty and insufficient in many areas. A band from Nebraska to northern Indiana missed most precipitation events.
Outlook
- The Climate Prediction Center's monthly drought outlook indicated a likely worsening of drought conditions in the central and eastern Corn Belt heading into November.
- La Niña conditions are expected to persist, typically bringing warmer and drier weather to the Midwest during fall and winter.
You can explore interactive drought maps, soil moisture indices and precipitation anomalies directly on the Ag Climate Dashboard for county-level insights and downloadable data.
The dashboard was developed in response to feedback from farmers who wanted easier access to climate tools. By consolidating trusted resources into a single, user-friendly platform, the Ag Climate Dashboard helps users:
- Plan fieldwork more effectively
- Monitor crop and pest development
- Evaluate climate risks
- Make informed decisions to boost yield and profitability
As an agronomist, I have often utilized the Growing Degree Day (GDD) calculator, historical climate data and recent conditions to track drought, rainfall and extreme weather information. I look forward to checking out the pest and disease forecasting maps next season. Whether you are running the farm or helping others make decisions, this dashboard is a powerful tool for turning weather data into smart, actionable insights.
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About the Author: Stephanie Porter
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