ERIE, Michigan — Spreading drought conditions across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan are challenging farmers, but one local orchard said the dry weather has had a surprising effect on their fall crops.

Nearby in Toledo, the National Weather Service said the city is nearly 1.5 inches below its average rainfall for September and 3.7 inches behind for the year.

Despite the deficit, across the state line in Michigan, the apples at Erie Orchards & Cider Mill are thriving.

"They are big. They are juicy," said Mike Mitchell of Erie Orchards.

According to Mitchell, the biggest challenge has not been the lack of rain on the fruit, but rather the unseasonably warm temperatures that accompany the dry spell.

"The only thing that I would say that the weather has affected the heat and that is

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