A nearly average week of heat and some rain to boot! August could not have started better for Iowans, except for the band of hail and wind damage along the U.S. 20 / Iowa 175 corridor. For the week, we only lost around 10 to 15 base-50F degree days to average across Iowa. Like they say, just what the doctor ordered (except for the hail!). Statewide, corn development ranges from brown silk (R2) to dough stage (R3), and soybeans are busily filling pods (R4--R5).