Rainfall events throughout the week slowed down harvest allowing Iowa farmers just 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Oct. 9, according the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Farmers in west central Iowa had 3.2 days suitable. Although hampered by soft and muddy fields, activities for the week included soybean and corn for grain harvest and hauling manure.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 3 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 16 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa were 86 percent adequate and 14 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 3 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa were 3 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 17 percent surplus.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop was mature or beyond, equal to last year’s pace, but three days ahead of the five-year average. Nineteen percent of the corn crop for grain has been harvested, three days behind last year and one week behind average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested was at 20 percent. Corn condition rated 81 percent good to excellent.
Ninety-two percent of soybeans were dropping leaves or beyond, two days ahead of average. Despite scattered showers, over one-fifth of the state’s soybean crop was harvested in the past week, reaching 43 percent harvested, three days behind last year’s pace. Soybean condition rated 81 percent good to excellent.
Pasture condition was rated 62 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were described as good despite some flooded low-lying pastures and muddy feedlots.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship – Unseasonably warm weather prevailed through Thursday, Oct. 6, when a strong cold front passed through the state resulting in slightly cooler than normal weather for Friday and the weekend.
Showers and thunderstorms were widespread over the western two-thirds of Iowa on Tuesday, Oct. 4, with a few localized rain amounts in excess of two inches over the west one-quarter of the state. Light rain fell over eastern Iowa on Wednesday morning with additional rain over the southeast one-third of the state on Wednesday night into Thursday morning when a very localized downpour of 4.98 inches of rain fell in Keokuk.
Rain fell nearly statewide between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning with a few rain totals more than an inch across east central and southeast Iowa. Severe winds also struck parts of Muscatine and Scott counties on Thursday night.
Rain totals for the week varied from only a trace at Manchester to 5.66 inches at Keokuk. The statewide average precipitation was 1.03 inches while normal for the week is 0.66 inches.
Temperatures averaged from one to two degrees above normal over northwest Iowa to four to six degrees above normal over the southeast with a statewide average of 3.6 degrees above normal. The season’s first freeze was recorded at Little Sioux on Friday morning, Oct. 7, with a 32 degree reading. Freezes were recorded across scattered parts of the north one-third of Iowa on both Saturday and Sunday mornings with the lowest temperatures of 30 degrees at Cresco and Estherville on Sunday.
On the other extreme 82 degree highs were recorded at Donnellson and Centerville on Tuesday and at Donnellson and Burlington on Wednesday.
