Iowa farmers worked hard to make planting progress with drier conditions during the early part of the week ending May 19, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. However, heavy rain fell late in the week which limited farmers to 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork statewide.
Topsoil moisture levels across Iowa rated 59 percent adequate and 41 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa rated a bit better, with 70 percent adequate and 30 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent short, 58 percent adequate and 41 percent surplus. In west central Iowa subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 23 percent surplus.
Iowa corn growers have 70 percent of the expected crop planted, five days behind last year and nine days behind the 5-year average. This is the smallest percent of corn planted by May 19 since 1995 when just 53 percent of the expected crop had been planted.
Even with limited days suitable for fieldwork, farmers in the northern districts and east central Iowa managed to plant at least a quarter of their expected corn crop this past week. Northeast Iowa planted the highest percentage of corn as they planted 43 percent of their expected crop. Twenty percent of the crop has emerged, more than a week behind last year and average.
Twenty-seven percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted, eight days behind last year and nine days behind average. Three percent of the crop has emerged, six days behind average.
There were scattered reports for the first cutting of alfalfa hay. Hay condition rated 62 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition improved slightly to 63 percent good to excellent. Warmer temperatures early in the week helped pastures grow, allowing cattle farmers to move more cattle out to graze.
Iowa preliminary weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Wetter than average conditions continued across much of Iowa with the state’s western extent experiencing drier than normal conditions.
Temperatures across the western half of Iowa were slightly warmer than average while the rest of the state was near or slightly below normal. Cooler conditions in eastern Iowa were partially attributed to increased cloud cover and rainfall.
Rain showers associated with a weak low pressure system dissipated late in the day on Sunday, May 12. Daytime highs were in the low to mid 50s; highs in southeastern Iowa were generally 15 to 20 degrees cooler than average. Burlington (Des Moines County) observed a daytime high of 47 degrees, 25 degrees below average.
Rainfall was generally confined to southern Iowa where totals reported at 7 am on Monday, May 13, ranged from 0.05 inch in Keokuk (Lee County) to 0.38 inch in Bedford (Taylor County). Daytime temperatures were boosted into the mid 60s ahead of an expected warming trend across Iowa.
A fast moving complex of showers and thunderstorms moved from northwestern Iowa though southeastern Iowa on Tuesday, leaving behind above average totals in central and southeastern Iowa, ranging from 0.20 to 0.40 inch above climatological expectation. Boone (Boone County) reported 0.63 inch of rain, 0.50 inch above normal. Wednesday saw morning fog burn off into sunny and warm conditions. Highs reached into the upper 70s and low 80s in western Iowa and remained unseasonably warm overnight. Stations in Cass, Harrison, and Montgomery counties observed 82 degrees, nine degrees warmer than average.
Thursday, May 16, began a multi-day stretch of thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall across Iowa. A warm and unstable atmosphere over central Iowa supported severe storms Thursday night. There were multiple reports of large hail, the largest of which was 1.75 inches in Tama County. Severe straight-line winds were also reported from Dallas to Clinton counties. Overall, this was the most widespread severe weather event so far in 2019, with 11 counties affected.
Widespread thunderstorm activity occurred Friday and Saturday (May 17-18) and was associated with a strong low pressure system. Northern and eastern Iowa received multiple waves of showers and thunderstorms with New Hampton (Chickasaw County) observing the highest 24-hour total of 4.25 inches on Saturday, 4.09 inches above average. Three-day rain totals reported at 7 am on Sunday, May 19, were above one inch at 48 stations. Temperatures remained mild over the weekend with highs 8 to 12 degrees above average in southern Iowa.
Weekly rainfall totals ranged from 0.11 inch in Mapleton (Monona County) to 4.95 inches in Elma (Howard County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.77 inches, 0.72 inch above average.
Temperatures also averaged 61.9 degrees, slightly above the climatological normal of 61.5 degrees. The week’s high temperature of 94 degrees was observed at Clarinda (Page County) on May 16, 21 degrees warmer than average. Chariton (Lucas County) reported the week’s low temperature of 30 degrees on May 13, 16 degrees below average.
