Another week with primarily spotty rains meant farmers had 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 26, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork activities included spraying, harvesting hay and grain movement. Aerial application of fungicides was also reported.
Topsoil moisture levels across Iowa rated 11 percent very short, 27 percent short, 59 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Ratings are poor in west central Iowa, where well more than half the topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies were rated short to very short. Topsoil ratings were 39 percent very short, 32 percent short, and 29 percent adequate.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 6 percent very short, 26 percent short, 65 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 24 percent very short, 39 percent short, and 37 percent adequate.
Corn silking or beyond reached 87 percent, 12 days ahead of the previous year and three days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn in the dough stage reached 23 percent, 10 days ahead of the previous year and four days ahead of the average. Corn condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans blooming reached 85 percent, just more than two weeks ahead of last year and six days ahead of average. Soybeans setting pods reached 50 percent, just over two weeks ahead of last year and five days ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 76 percent good to excellent.
Alfalfa hay second cutting reached 84 percent, eight days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the average. Hay condition rated 69 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 51 percent good to excellent. Some pastures are going dormant due to lack of adequate rain.
Iowa preliminary weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state climatologis,t Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Warmer than normal conditions were reported in Iowa’s western half while near to slightly cooler temperatures were observed across parts of eastern Iowa over the reporting period. The statewide average temperature was 74.9 degrees, 1.0 degree warmer than normal. Scattered showers and thunderstorms brought measurable rain across much of the state, though some stations missed out. Overall, drier than normal conditions were observed statewide with departures between 0.50 inch to one inch.
Showers and thunderstorms continued to move through southern Iowa over the late morning hours of Sunday, July 19. Some storms turned severe as they pushed through Henry and Des Moines counties, where multiple incidents of severe straight-line winds were reported. Skies cleared in the afternoon as temperatures remained seasonal, generally in the low to mid 80s. Clouds increased overnight into Monday as a small disturbance pushed into southwestern Iowa. Rainfall reported at 7 am was highest in Iowa’s southern corners; a gauge in Sidney (Fremont County) observed 1.14 inches while New London (Henry County) reported 1.12 inches. Rain amounts along the southern half of the Iowa-Nebraska border were around a few tenths of an inch. The system continued over the state with some lingering showers across eastern Iowa. Much of Iowa’s southern two-thirds reported measurable totals with the southwest accumulating between 0.25 inch to 0.75 inch; amounts tapered off to under 0.20 inch farther north and east.
Morning lows on Tuesday, July 21, ranged from the low 60s north to low 70s in the southeast. Scattered thundershowers popped up through the day in advance of a cold front that swept across Iowa. Daytime highs remained pleasant and a few degrees cooler than normal, generally in the upper 70s and low 80s; western Iowa reported some mid 80s with the statewide average high of 81 degrees, three degrees below normal. Much of the state reported rainfall amounts between 0.20 inch to 0.50 inch with several gauges in Muscatine and Scott counties observing more than an inch; the statewide average total was 0.21 inch.
Wednesday morning, July 22, was cooler than average behind the front with clear skies and northwesterly winds. Temperatures ranged from the mid 50s to mid 60s with a statewide average low of 60 degrees, four degrees below normal. Partly to mostly sunny skies and seasonal afternoon temperatures produced a pleasant day statewide.
Clouds increased in western Iowa early Thursday as spotty thunderstorms moved into west central Iowa in the early afternoon. Rain totals were typically under 0.25 inch though there were pockets of higher amounts where thunderstorms persisted; Kinsley (Plymouth County) reported 0.75 inch. Afternoon temperatures stayed in the low to mid 80s under sunny skies and a southerly wind.
Muggy conditions returned for the end of the week as highs on Friday, July 24, pushed into the upper 80s and low 90s. Overnight lows did not fall much, remaining in the upper 60s to mid 70s with the average low of 70 degrees, six degrees above normal. Showers skirted the Iowa-Minnesota border through Saturday as hot conditions persisted. Heat indices reached into the triple digits with partly sunny skies and gusty southerly winds. A second system entered northwest Iowa on Sunday morning, July 26, with scattered thunderstorms. Totals at 7 am ranged from 0.01 inch at Sioux City Airport (Woodbury County) to 0.38 inch in Swea City (Kossuth County).
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at stations in northeastern Iowa to 2.25 inches in New London (Henry County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.37 inch while the normal is 0.98 inch. Perry (Dallas County) reported the week’s high temperature of 96 degrees on July 24, 11 degrees warmer than normal. Fayette (Fayette County) reported the week’s low temperature of 51 degrees on July 23, 10 degrees cooler normal.
