OMAHA (DTN) -- Early fall pasture and range conditions in Midwestern states continue to dwindle as little rain has been seen for several weeks.

Missouri, Illinois and Iowa have had considerable movement on the negative side of pasture conditions in the latest USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report. Missouri moved 18 points out of good-to-excellent condition, with 36% in this category. A 14-point bump in very-poor-to-poor conditions was seen with 30% at this stage. For Illinois, a 13-point decrease in good to excellent, showed 22% of pasture and range here. An 11-point increase was seen in very-poor-to-poor conditions, with 41% of pastures in this category. In Iowa, a smaller increase was seen in the very-poor-to-poor category with only a 3-point increase at 7%. However, an 8-point decrease was seen in good to excellent, pulling this ranking to 63%.

Drought-type conditions spread into the Southern cow-calf states of Oklahoma and Texas, with a 6- and 5-point decrease in good-to-excellent pasture and range, respectively. This brings Oklahoma to 59% in this category and Texas to 34%. Oklahoma saw a 3-point increase in very-poor-to-poor condition, marked at 12%. Texas was unchanged with 27% of pasture and range in this negative ranking.

The Southwest states of Nevada and Arizona continue to have the worst conditions, with 90% and 87% in very-poor-to-poor condition, respectively.

DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick said he expects the shift in the jet stream to bring rain to areas of the Plains and Midwest, west of the Mississippi River.

"The showers will increase late this week and spread eastward this weekend. Those showers will largely be unfavorable for maturing crops and harvest, but could be beneficial for reducing drought, or at least its expansion," he said.

Baranick expects areas of showers to continue throughout the week in the Central and Southern Plains. Rainfall in the Southwest is favorable to the establishment of winter wheat. It would also help pasture and range conditions in an area where drought has lingered.

See the accompanying maps for more on the changes in various states.

National Pasture and Range Conditions (48 states)

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

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