Above normal precipitation resulted in just 4.1 days suitable for fieldwork across Iowa during the week ending Aug. 28, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included chopping corn for silage and planting cover crops. Producers continued to cut hay when conditions were dry enough.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 4 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa rated 2 percent short, 91 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa rated 1 percent very short, 11 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Ponding and flooding of some fields were reported in the northern two-thirds of Iowa.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop reached the dough stage or beyond, eight days ahead of the five-year average, with 65 percent dented or beyond, five days ahead of both last year and normal. Corn was starting to mature, most notably in the southern third of the state. Corn condition rated 83 percent good to excellent despite some reports of crop damage from heavy rain and wind during the week.
Soybeans setting pods reached 96 percent, four days ahead of last year. Thirteen percent of soybeans have started to turn color, three days ahead of last year’s pace. Soybean condition rated 82 percent good to excellent, although there were reports of sudden death and white mold in some soybean fields.
The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 73 percent complete (85 percent in west central Iowa), one week ahead of last year. Pasture condition rated 64 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were normal although higher insect numbers and muddy feedlots were reported in some areas of the State.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship – The big weather news this week was the torrential rains and flooding over far northeast Iowa on Tuesday into Wednesday morning, Aug 23-24.
Widespread rain amounts of greater than 4 inches were common from Worth County eastward to Allamakee County and on into southwest Wisconsin. Heaviest rains were centered in Winneshiek County where 8.46 inches fell overnight at a location five miles southeast of Decorah. Record flooding occurred along portions of the Upper Iowa and Turkey rivers. Rain fell nearly statewide Tuesday night but with highly variable amounts.
Another, much smaller area of excessive rain, fell across east central Nebraska and edged into southwest Harrison County where De Soto Bend National Wildlife Refuge picked up 5.38 inches.
Otherwise there were thunderstorms scattered across the southern one-third to one-half of Iowa on Wednesday night and over much of Iowa on Friday night into Saturday morning (Aug. 26-27). Additional thunderstorms developed over the southern one-third of the state Sunday evening but largely fell too late to be reflected in this week’s crop statistics.
Rain totals for the week varied from none over a small area extending from Onawa to just northwest of Sac City to 8.95 inches five miles southeast of Decorah. The statewide average precipitation was 1.19 inches, a little above the weekly normal of 0.91 inches.
Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged right at normal. The warmest weather came on Sunday, Aug. 28 with highs reaching 91 degrees at Bellevue and Burlington while Monday (22nd) and Friday (26th) were the coolest days. Elkader reported the week’s lowest temperature with a Monday morning low of 48 degrees.
