US winter wheat condition made a surprise easing, undermined by the spread of dryness, and at a key period for crop development, as temperatures fall into the winter. The proportion of US winter wheat rated good or excellent eased by 1 point to 54% as of Sunday, the US Department of Agriculture said, contrasting with investor expectations of a 1-point increase. The drop came mainly in Plains states growing hard red winter wheat, traded as Kansas City wheat, although the crop in Illinois, which grows the soft red winter wheat traded in Chicago, took a steep tumble, of 6 points to 54% rated good or excellent.