Crop report: Cool weather and persistent wet conditions hindered fieldwork in Iowa during the week ending May 4, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average temperatures were below normal for the week, but average precipitation was above normal. Statewide there were 0.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Producers in west central Iowa fared a little better, with 1.2 suitable days.
Recent precipitation improved soil moisture levels. Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 2 percent very short, 12 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 14 percent surplus. In west central Iowa ratings were 1 percent very short, 9 percent short, 85 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Figures last week for west central Iowa were 6 percent very short, 13 percent short, 73 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 10 percent very short, 32 percent short, 54 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus. In west central Iowa the ratings were 11 percent very short, 48 percent short, 38 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Northwest Iowa remained the driest with over one-third of topsoil reported as very short or short of moisture.
Statewide, 23 percent of the expected corn acreage was planted, nine days ahead of last year but 10 days behind normal. Forty-one percent of the corn was planted in west central Iowa as of May 4. Corn started to emerge. There were scattered reports of soybeans being planted.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship:
A very slow moving storm system brought a prolonged period of rain to the state over the past reporting week. Rain first moved into Iowa on Saturday night, April 26, and finally exited the state Thursday morning, May 1, with the heaviest rain falling on Sunday, April 27. A few brief periods of very light rain also moved through the state over the first weekend of May but were mostly inconsequential.
Weekly rain totals varied from 0.55 inches near Rock Rapids in Lyon County of far northwest Iowa to 4.42 inches at Bondurant in Polk County of central Iowa. The rain changed to snow over portions of north central Iowa on Tuesday (29th) night and Wednesday (30th) morning bringing about two inches of accumulation to parts of Mitchell, Howard, Floyd and Chickasaw counties. National Weather Service cooperative observer John Beltz reported Jefferson received 1.94 inches of rain April 28-May 1.
The statewide average precipitation was 1.64 inches while normal for the week is 0.98 inches. This was the third consecutive week with above normal precipitation for Iowa, however the northwest and southwest corners of the state have continued to lag normal during this time period.
Temperatures during the week were mostly below normal. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from three degrees below normal along the Missouri border to eight degrees below normal near the Minnesota border with a statewide average of 5.7 degrees below normal. Beltz reported a high of only 43 degrees in Jefferson May 1.
Severe thunderstorms were reported from 13 southeast Iowa counties Sunday afternoon, April 27. The strongest of these storms produced a tornado which touched down northeast of Ottumwa and continued northeastward nearly 50 miles to west of Iowa City, resulting in two fatalities in Keokuk County.
