Relatively dry conditions throughout the week were ideal for crop development and allowed Iowa farmers 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 31, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included cutting hay and aerial spraying of corn with fungicide and insecticide.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Topsoil moisture levels in west central Iowa rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 2 percent very short, 12 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Levels in WC Iowa were 2 percent very short, 18 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.
Ninety-five percent of the corn crop reached the silking stage, five days ahead of last year and almost two weeks ahead of the five-year average. Thirty-five percent (30 percent in WC Iowa) of the corn crop reached the dough stage. Isolated reports of corn starting to dent were received from across the State. Corn condition rated 83 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans blooming reached 90 percent (95 percent in WC Iowa), six days ahead of the previous year. Sixty-four percent (70 percent) of soybeans were setting pods, five days ahead of last year. Soybean condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Seventy-eight percent of the oat crop for grain or seed was harvested, 2 days ahead of both last year and the average.
The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 93 percent, more than two weeks ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 28 percent complete, six days ahead of average. Hay condition was rated 73 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition was rated 61 percent good to excellent.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship – It was a dry week with seasonal temperatures across Iowa.
Temperatures averaged slightly above normal in most areas through Wednesday, July 27, and below normal for the remainder of the reporting week. Temperature extremes varied from Wednesday afternoon highs of 90 degrees at Sioux City and Donnellson to Saturday morning lows of 51 degrees July 30 at Sheldon and Spencer.
Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 0.6 degrees below normal.
No rain of consequence fell over about one-half of the state with most of central, south central and southeast Iowa recording no rain at all. There were isolated thunderstorms on several days, but coverage was minimal.
There was a small area of an inch or more of rain from western Crawford County down to Cass County on Wednesday. Similar storms popped up over the northeast and southeast corners of Iowa on Friday with localized inch or more rain amounts in northern Fayette, southern Allamakee and portions of Washington and Louisa counties.
The maximum rainfall reported for the week was from Yellow River State Forest in southeast Allamakee County with 2.55 inches. The statewide average precipitation was 0.18 inches while normal for the week is 0.94 inches. This was the driest week in eleven weeks (mid-May).
