Harvest is nearing completion for some as Iowa farmers had 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Oct. 18, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Other field activities again included baling corn stalks, applying fertilizer and manure, and fall tillage. Cover crops are beginning to green up where early planting was possible.
Topsoil moisture condition across Iowa rated 18 percent very short, 40 percent short, and 42 percent adequate. Ratings in west central Iowa were 38 percent very short, 49 percent short, and 13 percent adequate.
Subsoil moisture condition statewide rated 22 percent very short, 39 percent short, and 39 percent adequate. In west central Iowa ratings were 54 percent very short, 41 percent short, and 5 percent adequate.
Corn for grain harvested in the state reached 65 percent, longer than three weeks ahead of last year and just more than two weeks ahead of average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain fell to 16 percent. Farmers in south central Iowa still have approximately two-thirds of their corn for grain yet to be harvested while farmers in the remainder of the state have already harvested at least one-half of their crop.
Only 10 percent of Iowa’s soybean crop remains to be harvested, also longer than three weeks ahead of last year and more than two weeks ahead of average. Farmers in northwest, north central and west central Iowa have less than 5 percent of their soybeans remaining to be harvested. In contrast, farmers in the southern one-third of the state have at least 20 percent of their soybeans remaining to be harvested.
Pasture condition rated 20 percent good to excellent. Some pastures are already dormant. Cattle producers in some areas continue to supplement hay and water supplies. There were scattered reports of cows turned out on corn stalks.
Iowa preliminary weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Temperatures across the state over the reporting period varied from slightly cooler than average over portions of northern Iowa to slightly warmer conditions in southern Iowa. The statewide average temperature was 51.1 degrees, 1.1 degrees cooler than normal. Measurable precipitation, including some snow, was reported across much of the state with above average totals observed in northwestern Iowa; some stations collected from 1.00 to 2.00 inches more than normal. The rest of Iowa experienced drier than normal conditions with negative departures over 0.50 inch.
Unseasonably warm temperatures were recorded Sunday afternoon, Oct. 11, with highs reaching into the low to mid 80s, up to 22 degrees warmer than average. A strong cold front pushed into western Iowa during the evening hours, firing a line of strong thunderstorms. Some storms turned severe with several reports of straight-line winds causing tree damage; a 61 mph wind gust was reported in Shenandoah (Fremont County).
Rain totals reported at 7 am Monday were highest in the state’s northwestern one-third with general amounts in the range of 0.50 inch to 1.00 inch. Seventeen stations reported an inch or more with Sioux Rapids (Buena Vista County) observing 1.76 inches while Rock Valley (Sioux County) reported more than three inches. Precipitation totals tailed off to a few tenths of an inch southeast into central Iowa with a statewide average of 0.22 inch. The front continued through eastern Iowa during the late afternoon with winds shifting to the northwest. Clearing skies west to east helped temperatures push into the mid 60s statewide.
A secondary, weak cold front sped through Iowa on Tuesday, Oct. 13, leaving behind very light rain totals in the northeast. Daytime temperatures behind the front ranged from the low 60s northwest to mid 70s southeast. Southerly winds increased overnight into Wednesday as a low pressure approached Iowa from the west. Strong winds continued through the afternoon hours with partly cloudy conditions reported across northern and central Iowa.
Winds died down overnight under clearing conditions on Thursday morning, Oct. 15, with chilly temperatures in the low to mid 30s across northern Iowa. Afternoon highs were also cooler than average, reaching only into the 50s with an average high of 54 degrees, nine degrees cooler than normal.
Spotty showers developed behind a low pressure system over the Great Lakes into Friday with very light rain totals reported in eastern Iowa; Elma (Howard County) reported 0.05 inch.
Southerly winds increased into Saturday, Oct. 17, in advance of the next weather system to impact Iowa. Afternoon temperatures were pleasant, ranging from the mid 60s north to upper 60s and some 70s in the south. Cloud cover increased through the late evening hours as a cold front approached western Iowa. Overnight into Sunday, rain and some early season snow fell across much of Iowa, with a portion of west-central Iowa reporting snow totals more than an inch; Perry (Dallas County) reported 2.7 inches while the Des Moines National Weather Service office in Johnston (Polk County) measured one inch of new snow. Liquid equivalent precipitation was under 0.50 inches with a majority of observations less than 0.20 inch. Morning temperatures remained in the 30s with some low to mid 20s readings in northern Iowa.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at several southern Iowa stations to 3.15 inches in Rock Valley (Sioux County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.32 inch, while the normal is 0.51 inch. Logan (Harrison County), Sac City (Sac County) and Shenandoah (Page County) reported the week’s high temperature of 86 degrees Oct. 11, on average 20 degrees warmer than normal. Estherville Municipal Airport (Emmet County) reported the week’s low temperature of 23 degrees on Oct. 18, 12 degrees cooler than normal.
