Drier conditions allowed farmers to make good progress with 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork statewide, 6 percent in west central Iowa, during the week ending May 22, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were scattered reports of corn being replanted in the northern third of Iowa.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide increased to 5 percent short, 84 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa were 1 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 16 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 85 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus. In west central Iowa subsoil moisture levels were 79 percent adequate and 21 percent surplus.
Ninety-six percent of the corn crop has been planted (95 percent in WC Iowa), two days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn emerged reached 75 percent, on pace with last year, but four days ahead of normal. The first corn condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 62 percent good, and 11 percent excellent.
Soybean planting reached 74 percent complete (67 percent in WC Iowa), almost a week ahead of last year. Twenty-one percent of the soybeans have emerged (9 percent in WC Iowa), two days behind last year, but equal to the 5-year average.
The first cutting of alfalfa hay advanced to 19 percent completed (12 percent in WC Iowa). Hay conditions improved slightly to 75 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition also improved to 76 percent good to excellent.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship: The past reporting week was mostly on the cooler and drier side of normal. Temperatures were below normal statewide through Saturday morning, May 21, with mild days and cool nights.
Temperatures climbed into the 70s statewide on Saturday afternoon and into the 80s over most of Iowa on Sunday, May 22. Temperature extremes varied from a morning low of 30 degrees at Elkader Wednesday, May 18, to an afternoon high of 87 degrees at Le Claire Sunday, May 22.
Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged one to three degrees below normal across northern Iowa to three to six degrees subnormal over the south where daytime cloud cover was more frequent. The statewide average temperature for the week was 3.5 degrees below normal.
Light rain fell over about the southern one-third of Iowa on Monday, May 16, and parts of the southeast one-half of the state on Tuesday, May 17. There were a few, isolated, very light showers scattered across small areas of southern and western Iowa on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Randolph in Fremont County reported the most rain for the week with 0.52 inches, while no rain was reported over parts of northwest, north central, west central, central and east central Iowa.
The statewide average rainfall for the week was only 0.07 inches while normal for the week is 1.05 inches. Soil temperatures at the 4-inch depth were averaging in the low to mid-60s over most of Iowa as of Sunday, May 22.
