ST. PAUL, Minn. — Cooler weather has given Minnesota farmers a break from the heat.

In its weekly crops and weather report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that statewide, temperatures for the week averaged 6.7 degrees below average.

Despite the cooler weather, 5.9 days were suitable for field work last week.

Drier than normal weather in the southern two-thirds of Minnesota reduced topsoil and subsoil moisture to 26 percent short and 21 percent very short.

North-central Minnesota was the only district in the state with significantly above-average moisture, with more than 2 inches of rain.

Corn conditions declined slightly, to 62 percent good or excellent. Sixty percent of corn was at or beyond the silking stage while corn stalks grew 12 inches to an average height of 71 inches.