(Des Moines) Iowa farmers took advantage of warmer and dry conditions this past week. The state saw a significant increase in corn and soybean acres planted, according to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report.
The report indicated 39-percent of Iowa’s corn crop is in the ground compared to 2-percent one week ago. Nine-percent of the soybean crop is planted compared to none a week ago.
Although most of Iowa received spotty rains. There were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 26, 2020. In contrast, it was mid-June before Iowa farmers had a week with 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork in 2019.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 85 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 87 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus.
Only 20 percent of Iowa’s expected oat crop remains to be planted, with just 22 percent of the oat crop emerged.
Pasture condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 percent is deficient, 28 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 10 percent excellent.
Iowa continued to experience unseasonably dry conditions even though multiple disturbances brought measurable rainfall to much of the state.
According to State Climatologist Justin Glisan, rainfall departures of up to an inch fell across a majority of Iowa. Average temperatures rebounded from the previous reporting period with warmer conditions reported across the state’s western two-thirds, near to slightly below average conditions in eastern Iowa. The statewide average temperature was 52.6 degrees, 0.50 degrees below normal.
Rain totals were highest across Iowa’s southern two tiers of counties, where slower cells produced more torrential rain. Randolph (Fremont County) reported 0.70 inches while Keokuk Municipal Airport (Lee County) reported 1.12 inches, and Corning (Adams County) 1.98 inches. Cloud cover cleared early through the late morning until a line of slow-moving showers and thunderstorms pushed into western Iowa. Daytime highs were generally in the mid-60s while lows into Sunday (26th) fell into the upper 30s and lower 40s. The statewide average low was 38 degrees, three degrees below normal. Rain totals at 7:00 am were between 0.10 – 0.20 inch in western Iowa with a handful of stations reporting above 0.30 inch; Little Sioux (Harrison County) and Sibley (Osceola County) observed 0.37 inch.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at stations in north-central Iowa to 2.20 inches in Story City (Story County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.31 inch while the normal is 0.93 inch. The week’s high temperature of 81 degrees appeared at numerous stations on the 22nd, on average 19 degrees above normal. Estherville Municipal Airport (Emmet County) reported the week’s low temperature of 23 degrees on the 21st, 14 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the low to mid-50s as of Sunday.
