There were 6.1 days suitable for field work during the week ending May 3, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Warm, dry weather allowed Iowa farmers to advance planting well ahead of normal.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 3 percent very short, 16 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa rated 7 percent very short, 30 percent short, and 63 percent adequate.
Subsoil moisture levels across the state rated 2 percent very short, 8 percent short, 85 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. In west central Iowa the ratings were 3 percent very short, 18 percent short, and 79 percent.
Iowa farmers planted 39 percent of the expected corn crop during the week ending May 3. Although great progress was made, in 2015 Iowa farmers were able to plant 54 percent of their corn crop during the same week. This is the first time since 2010 that at least three-quarters of the corn crop has been in the ground by May 3.
Forty-six percent of the soybean crop has been planted, a full month ahead of last year and over two weeks ahead of the five-year average. This is the highest proportion of the soybean crop planted by May 3 since records began in 1974. Farmers were able to plant more than one-third of the expected soybean crop during the week ending May 3. Only 6 percent of Iowa’s expected oat crop remains to be planted, with 54 percent of the oat crop emerged.
Pasture condition rated 65 percent good to excellent. Pastures and hay fields are greening up. Cattle movement to pastures increased this week.
Iowa preliminary weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state climatologist Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Warm weather returned to Iowa as temperatures averaged up to six degrees warmer than normal across portions of the state during the reporting period. The statewide average temperature was 59.1 degrees, 5.2 degrees warmer than normal. Spring-type showers and thunderstorms were also observed, though dry conditions persisted; all stations reported below average rainfall with the largest departures in south central Iowa.
Southerly winds and partly sunny skies remained through Sunday afternoon, April 26, and evening with daytime highs pushing into the upper 60s and low 70s. Cloud cover increased into the early morning hours of Monday, April 27, as a disturbance brought a line of showers and a few thunderstorms into western Iowa. The line remained somewhat organized, though dissipated as it moved through central Iowa into the early afternoon hours; cloud cover cleared most of Iowa’s northwestern two-thirds allowing temperatures to rise into the upper 70s. Clouds over southeastern Iowa held temperatures in the low 70s.
Light showers reformed in eastern Iowa during the evening hours with rain totals for the day generally under a few tenths of an inch across southwestern Iowa; Mount Ayr (Ringgold County) reported 0.42 inch. Clouds were on the increase in advance of a low pressure system that propagated across Iowa through the day on Tuesday. Measurable totals were reported across much of Iowa with the highest amounts in the northwest as well as in east-central Iowa. De Witt (Clinton County) reported 0.67 inch while Primghar (O’Brien County) observed 0.60 inch; totals at remaining stations were generally under a few tenths of an inch. Additional light showers formed on the backside of the low as it moved out of eastern Iowa.
Iowa experienced windy conditions on Wednesday, April l29, as high pressure quickly moved in behind the low. Highs stayed in the 60s as clouds cleared from west to east. Winds died down through the late evening hours as skies cleared. Overnight lows dropped into the 40s with upper 30s observed in the northwest quadrant. Thursday was a beautiful spring day with abundant sunshine and pleasant temperatures. Highs reached into the upper 60s north to low 70s south. Overnight lows were seasonal, falling into the mid to upper 40s as cloud cover gradually increased into Friday, May 1. Morning lows ranged from the mid 50s northwest to low 40s southeast. Partly cloudy and warmer conditions greeted Iowa through the day with a southerly wind helping daytime highs into the upper 70s and low 80s; some stations in northwest Iowa approached the 90-degree mark.
The statewide average high was 80 degrees, 13 degrees warmer than normal. Clear skies and mild conditions were reported into early Saturday, May 2. Morning lows remained in the upper 50s and low 60s, up to 12 degrees above normal. During the late morning hours, spotty showers pushed into western Iowa behind a weak cold front and moved over portions of Iowa for most of the day. Cloud cover was variable with a light northerly wind. Mid 60s and low 70s were reported statewide as clouds increased into Sunday. Rain totals for the previous 24 hours were light, ranging from a trace at multiple stations to 0.20 inch in Salem (Henry County).
Weekly rain totals ranged from trace amounts at several stations to 1.12 inches at Keokuk Lock and Dam (Lee County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.15 inch while the normal is 0.93 inch. Little Sioux (Harrison County) reported the week’s high temperature of 90 degrees on May 1, 22 degrees warmer than average. Iowa City (Johnson County) and Stanley (Buchanan County) reported the week’s low temperature of 33 degrees on April 27, on average nine degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the mid 50s north to low 60s south as of Sunday.
