Drought persists across U.S. Corn Belt

CAMP SPRINGS, Md., July 5 (UPI) -- Drought conditions are increasing from the U.S. Great Plains into the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, weather officials say.

Scattered relief may come in the form of cold front passages or organized thunderstorm clusters, but summers are usually a fairly dry time of year for the central part of the nation, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center said Thursday.

Northern tier states, including North Dakota, Minnesota and upper Michigan, are more likely to benefit from the frontal passages due to their position close to the polar jet stream.

In the Southeast, coastal portions of Georgia and South Carolina will likely see some improvement in drought conditions due to the greater likelihood of a tropical cyclone, meteorologists said.

Arizona and New Mexico will also likely see some improvement as the seasonal monsoon starts to ramp up.