Arctic air pushing into the Midwest is expected to cause winterkill damage to wheat in some areas but will mostly spare Kansas.

Agricultural meteorologist Don Keeney of MDA Weather Services said Tuesday a third of the nation’s wheat belt will likely be affected. Some damage is expected Wednesday morning, but the bulk of the winterkill is expected Thursday morning.

Winterkill damage is anticipated as subzero temperatures hit in eastern Nebraska, southwestern Iowa, northern and eastern Missouri, south central Illinois, southern Indiana and southern Ohio. Two counties in northwestern Kansas may be affected.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reports 49 percent of Kansas wheat is now in good to excellent condition, 42 percent is reported as fair and 9 percent is in poor to very poor condition.