ST. LOUIS (AP) — Recent storms helped ease the grip of the nation’s worst drought in decades on several key Midwest farming states, raising hopes that the winter wheat crop will fare better than this year’s corn, which is in the final stages of being harvested.

The U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly update released Thursday shows that 62.4 percent the lower 48 states remained mired in some form of drought during the seven-day period that ended Tuesday. That’s down more than a percentage point from the previous week.