Iowa farmers had nearly a full week to harvest their crops with 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Oct. 11, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities again included baling corn stalks, applying fertilizer and manure, and fall tillage.
Topsoil moisture condition statewide rated 17 percent very short, 34 percent short, and 49 percent adequate. In west central Iowa topsoil moisture rated 34 percent very short, 42 percent short, and 24 percent adequate.
Subsoil moisture condition across Iowa rated 21 percent very short, 37 percent short, and 42 percent adequate. Ratings in west central Iowa were 51 percent very short, 39 percent short, and 10 percent adequate.
Corn reached 97 percent mature or beyond, more than three weeks ahead of the previous year and 10 days ahead of the 5- year average. Corn for grain harvested in the state reached 42 percent, more than three weeks ahead of last year and almost two weeks ahead of average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was at 18 percent. Corn condition rated 44 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans dropping leaves or beyond reached 97 percent, just more than two weeks ahead of last year and nine days ahead of average. Nearly one-quarter of Iowa’s soybean crop was harvested during the week ending Oct. 11 with 78 percent now harvested, more than three weeks ahead of last year and more than two weeks ahead of average. Farmers in south central Iowa remain considerably behind farmers in the rest of the state with just 38 percent of their crop harvested.
Pasture condition rated 19 percent good to excellent, a slight decrease from the previous week. Pasture growth is minimal with the lack of soil moisture and reduced daylight hours. Some cattle producers have had to supplement hay and water supplies.
Iowa Preliminary Weather Summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state climatologist Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
The first full week of October brought unseasonable warmth to the state with positive departures of up to 10 degrees in western Iowa. The statewide average temperature was 61.6 degrees, 8.2 degrees warmer than normal. Dry conditions prevailed across Iowa as well with only a few stations reporting very light rainfall amounts. The lack of rain around the state led to weekly precipitation departures on the order of 0.50 inch to 0.70 inch.
Southerly winds built back into Iowa through Sunday afternoon, Oct. 4, under sunny skies. Highs reported in the afternoon remained cooler than average, generally in the upper 50s and low 60s; the statewide average high was 60 degrees, seven degrees cooler normal. Monday was a windy day across Iowa as southerly winds increased in strength ahead of a weak cold frontal passage. Morning lows, under clear skies, were up to 16 degrees below average as stations in northern Iowa reported upper 20s and low 30s with the statewide average at 35 degrees, 8 degrees cooler than normal. Extremely spotty showers were observed in eastern Iowa during the afternoon hours, though few stations reported any rainfall. Daytime highs rebounded into the mid 70s northwest to mid 60s southeast, where the front was still present.
Winds died down and shifted to a westerly direction overnight into Tuesday, Oct. 6, as temperatures dipped into the low to mid 40s. Afternoon highs pushed into the upper 70s and low 80s under sunny skies. A dome of high pressure over the upper Midwest produced quiet and pleasant conditions Wednesday and Thursday as highs on both days remained in the upper 70s with some spotty low 80s. Hazy conditions were also reported at various stations across the state.
Morning lows registered on Friday, Oct. 9, were warmer than average as a warm front lifted northeast through the state, pushing temperatures into the upper 50s and low 60s; Primghar (O’Brien County) reported a low temperature of 62 degrees, 19 degrees warmer than average. A warm morning transitioned into an unusually hot October day as highs in the afternoon pushed into the mid to upper 80s across much of Iowa; the statewide average high came in at 83 degrees, 17 degrees above normal.
Skies remained mostly clear overnight with some dense fog forming in southwestern Iowa in the early hours of Saturday. Morning lows stayed unseasonably warm with low to mid 60s reported in eastern Iowa. A cold front dropped southeast through Iowa during the day moderating temperatures under clear conditions. Afternoon highs remained near seasonal across northern Iowa but in the upper 70s in the south. Cloud cover increased over the eastern half of Iowa overnight into Sunday, Oct. 11, as easterly winds gradually shifted to a southeasterly direction. As the sun rose, stations around the state reported lows in the 50s with upper 40s observed in eastern Iowa.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at almost all Iowa stations to 0.02 inch at Maquoketa (Jackson County). Ames (Story County), Red Oak (Montgomery County) and Shenandoah (Page County) reported the week’s high temperature of 88 degrees on July 9, on average 20 degrees warmer than normal. Clarion (Wright County) and Northwood (Worth County) reported the week’s low temperature of 27 degrees on Oct. 5, 14 degrees cooler than normal.
