Weekend rains were welcomed by Iowa farmers. “The rains that much of the state saw this weekend were generally welcomed as it is still early. The northwest corner did miss much of the rain and remain in need of moisture. If it warms up and fields dry, farmers will be ready to start planting,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said April 14. “It is great to see cover crops, which were planted on a record number of acres last fall, greening up again this spring.”
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports the following for the week ending April 13:
CROP REPORT- Above average temperatures in Iowa allowed over 20 percent of the state’s expected oat acreage to be planted during the week ending April 13. Precipitation fell towards the end of the week as rain turned to snow overnight Sunday. Statewide there were 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork. West central Iowa farmers had 4.9 days suitable.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 6 percent very short, 25 percent short, 57 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus. Topsoil moisture levels in west central Iowa rated 7 percent very short , 30 percent short, 52 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus (before Sunday’s rainfall).
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 17 percent very short, 38 percent short, 43 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. In west central Iowa subsoil moisture levels were 23 percent very short, 44 percent short, 31 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Twenty-nine percent of oats have been planted, 10 percent ahead of last year but 22 percent behind average.
Pasture condition rated 13 percent very poor, 26 percent poor, 43 percent fair, 18 percent good and 0 percent excellent. Most pastures were still slow to emerge, but rains late in the week helped return some green to the area. Calving conditions were reported as good.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY- Mostly dry weather with highly variable temperatures was the rule until Saturday evening when showers and thunderstorms moved into Iowa. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from three degrees above normal at the southeast corner of the state to nine degrees above normal over the far northwest. The statewide average temperature was 5.8 degrees above normal.
Light rain was scattered Sunday (April 6) and Monday with amounts mostly less than one-tenth of an inch. Tuesday through Friday was dry. Showers and thunderstorms moved across the northern one-third of Iowa early Saturday morning while thunderstorms were widespread Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Weekly rain totals for the crop reporting week ending 7 a.m. Sunday varied from none across portions of far northwest and far southeast Iowa such as Le Mars and Burlington to 2.44 inches at the Marshalltown airport and 2.45 inches at Fayette. The statewide average precipitation was 0.44 inches while normal for the week is 0.76 inches. The Saturday evening storms brought reports of high winds and/or large hail from 32 counties. However, moderate to heavy rain fell across the southeast two-thirds of Iowa after 7 a.m. Sunday and will be included in next week’s report. ~Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
