YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- The outlook for the next couple of weeks is for hot and dry weather to continue over much of the northern plains.

During the monthly regional climate update, Minnesota assistant state climatologist Pete Boulay said ideally, crops should get some rain every week.

Dennis Todey with the Midwest Climate Hub in Ames Iowa says average rain won’t help much with high temperatures and dry soil.

Todey says soil moisture has been depleted across a wide area of the region.

Weatherology meteorologist Michael Karow says a large high pressure system is stuck in place.

While it is mid-July in South Dakota, Karow says forecast temperatures are higher than normal.

Corn is reaching a critical pollination stage while soybeans will be more at-risk next month.