Severe weather conditions rolled through Iowa this week as high winds, isolated hail, and plenty of rain occurred during the week ending June 28, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 3.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included cutting hay, herbicide and fungicide applications, and some nitrogen side dressing. Excessive moisture is stressing some crops, causing small drowned-out areas, and preventing farmers from controlling weeds.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 31 percent surplus. Topsoil in west central Iowa rated 2 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 20 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 2 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were two percent short, 83 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus.
In southwest and south central Iowa farmers have begun to file prevented plantings for any remaining corn and soybean acreage. Eighty-three percent of the corn crop was rated good to excellent. Soybean emergence reached 96 percent, 11 days behind 2014. Soybean condition rated 78 percent good to excellent this week. With 90 percent of the oat crop headed or beyond, conditions declined slightly to 81 percent good to excellent.
Hay condition fell to 70 percent good to excellent this week due to wet conditions. The first cutting of alfalfa hay reached 83 percent complete. The second cutting reached 9 percent, one week behind average. Pasture condition rated 81 percent good to excellent.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship:
Iowans endured a very wet and stormy week. Thunderstorms were widespread on Monday, June 22, Wednesday into Thursday morning June 24-25, Friday, and over eastern Iowa on Sunday, June 28. High winds raked much of northern Iowa on Monday morning, June 22, with additional severe storms over south central Iowa on Monday afternoon.
Hail and high winds were also reported over parts of southwest, south central and east central Iowa on Wednesday. Torrential rains fell over portions of central and south central Iowa on Wednesday night with widespread flooding. However, parts of northwest and southwest Iowa saw only light amounts of rain with Sidney and Shenandoah recording only sprinkles. On the other end of the spectrum Waukee reported 7.98 inches of rain. The statewide average precipitation total was 2.13 inches, or nearly double the weekly normal of 1.17 inches.
Meanwhile temperatures averaged from one degree above normal over southwestern Iowa to three degrees above normal over the northeast with a statewide average of 2.0 degrees subnormal. Temperature extremes varied from a Wednesday afternoon high of 94 degrees at Clarinda to a Tuesday morning low of 51 degrees at Elkader.
