Wet conditions continued in Iowa, delaying planting and allowing only 2.8 days suitable (2.5 days in west central Iowa) for fieldwork statewide during the week ending May 24, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Cattle producers had concerns about muddy feedlots while crop farmers experienced spraying delays. Farmers are evaluating the need to replant corn in low-lying areas.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide increased to 3 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 23 percent surplus. Topsoil moisture levels in west central Iowa were rated as 3 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 20 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 79 percent adequate and 13 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels in west central Iowa rated 4 percent short, 86 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Only southeast Iowa had any topsoil reported as being very short on moisture. Southwest Iowa had the highest subsoil moisture rating at 99 adequate to surplus.
Ninety-six percent of the corn crop has been planted, three days ahead of the 5-year average. Southwest Iowa remains well behind the other districts with just 81 percent planted, while northwest, north central and central Iowa are virtually complete. In west central Iowa, 97 percent of the corn is planted.
Corn emerged reached 81 percent, six days ahead of last year and four days ahead of normal. The first corn condition rating of the season was 1 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 63 percent good, and 16 percent excellent.
Soybean planting reached 70 percent complete (65 percent in west central Iowa), behind last year’s pace for the first time this year. Thirty-two percent of the soybean crop has emerged, slightly ahead of last year and normal. With emergence nearly complete, oat conditions improved slightly with 82 percent good to excellent.
The first cutting of alfalfa hay advanced to 11 percent completed. Hay conditions improved slightly to 81 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition also improved to 74 percent good to excellent. Muddy conditions in pastures and feedlots have stressed livestock in some areas.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
The past reporting week began with unseasonably cool weather prevailing from Monday, May 18, through Friday, May 22. Daytime high temperatures were only in the mid-40s over parts of northern Iowa on Monday and Wednesday. Afternoon temperatures climbed into the 70s over most of the state on Thursday and Friday while overnight lows remained unseasonably low. Temperatures edged slightly above normal across most of the state over the weekend.
Temperature extremes ranged from a Thursday morning low of 33 degrees at Belle Plaine to a Sunday, May 24, afternoon high of 81 degrees at Donnellson. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 6.5 degrees below normal.
Meanwhile, there was scattered light rain on Sunday, May 17, with some isolated higher amounts over parts of north central Iowa. Dry weather prevailed in most areas on Monday and Tuesday with light rain over much of Iowa on Wednesday. All of Iowa was dry on Thursday while light rain fell across far western areas of the state on Friday and Saturday. Rain fell over all of Iowa on Sunday, May 24, to close out the reporting week, but with some of this rain coming too late to be reflected in this week’s report. Weekly rain totals varied from only 0.03 inches at Cresco and Marquette to 1.71 inches at Britt and 1.55 inches at Mount Ayr. The statewide average precipitation was 0.45 inches while normal for the week is 1.05 inches.
