COLUMBIA, Mo. -- With the lowest July temperatures in 37 years, this summer is on pace to be one of the coolest on record in Missouri, a University of Missouri climatologist said.

"We had the coolest July since 1967," said Pat Guinan, Extension climatologist with the MU Commercial Agriculture Program. "Across the state, July temperatures averaged 2 to 5 degrees below normal."

The trend is expected to continue "at least over the next several days," Guinan said. "We might be seeing some record cool temperatures later this week." He said low temperatures in the 50s are anticipated.

The eastern two-thirds of the United States has remained cooler than normal, and the west has had warmer weather than usual, he said. "It's been a pattern that's established itself this summer. The heat waves we've had have been few and far between, and they've only lasted a few days."

In June, temperatures averaged 1.5 to 4 degrees below normal in the central, northern and southwestern parts of the state despite a mid-month heat wave. In southeast Missouri, June temperatures were about 0.5 to 1.5 degrees below the norm.

"Preliminary temperature reports indicate this ranks as the 11th coolest June-July period on record, and that goes back to 1895," Guinan said. "When you look at July alone, it's the ninth coolest on record."

Rainfall in July was above average. The Midwestern Regional Climate Center reported that rainfall for July averaged 5.75 inches, nearly 2 inches more than the 30-year average of 3.96 inches. Only 11 percent of the state reported topsoil moisture conditions as short or very short, with 89 percent reporting topsoil moisture as adequate or surplus.

"We had another good rain this week across the corn belt, with the heaviest rains over south-central Iowa and north-central Missouri," Guinan said. "I've never seen so much green vegetation at this time of year. It looks like early June instead of early August."

Northeast Missouri and a few southeastern counties have had below-average rainfall. Topsoil moisture at the end of July was rated 55 percent short or very short in the northeastern region.

"Even in areas that have been shortchanged by the precipitation, the crops have fared pretty well because of the cooler temperatures," Guinan said. "In July, that means highs in the middle to lower 80s -- good corn growing weather."

The Missouri Agricultural Statistical Service reported that more than 80 percent of the state's corn crop is reported to be in good to excellent condition, and almost 70 percent of the soybeans are in good or excellent condition.

"Pretty much the entire state is looking nice and green throughout," he said. "It's unusual to have this weather persist."