Another week of colder than normal temperatures with rain and snow left Iowa farmers with 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 7, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Minimal fieldwork was done during the week, but some producers were able to apply anhydrous, manure, and dry fertilizer. High winds prevented producers from spraying fertilizer towards the end of the week.
Topsoil moisture condition statewide rated 14 percent very short, 35 percent short, 47 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 18 percent very short, 35 percent short, and 47 percent adequate.
Subsoil moisture condition across the state rated 26 percent very short, 38 percent short, 34 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 24 percent very short, 49 short, and 27 percent adequate.
Oats seeding reached 32 percent complete, 6 days ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of the 5-year average. Oats emerged reached 4 percent complete.
There were no reports of cattle turned out onto pasture yet as pastures continue to green up. Calving was in full swing with reports of mud in some areas.
Iowa preliminary weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – April began unseasonably cool with several windy days across Iowa. Temperatures were near normal in western Iowa and four degrees below average east; Iowa’s average temperature was 42.1 degrees, 1.8 degrees cooler than normal. Eastern Iowa experienced above-average precipitation in the range of 125 to 400 percent of normal, while the southwest corner was unseasonably dry.
Thunderstorms began firing into the afternoon hours of Sunday, March 31, over southeast Iowa with some becoming severe-warned;
there were a handful of 1.00-inch hail reports in Lee and Van Buren counties. Heavier rain was also reported in these storms with
several stations collecting more than an inch of moisture; Fairfield (Jefferson County) measured 1.02 inches while Moulton (Davis
County) observed 1.62 inches.
Lighter showers formed over northern Iowa into Monday morning with additional storms forming to the southeast. There was a wide range of afternoon highs with upper 30s north to the mid to upper 50s south along with fog and mist. Winds shifted to a northerly direction after midnight with widespread showers across Iowa as a low pressure center propagated northeast through Missouri. Rain totals reported at 7 am on Tuesday, April 2, indicated that most stations accumulated at least 0.20 inches with nearly 100 southeastern stations collecting 0.50 inches or more; several Bloomfield (Davis County) gauges had totals ranging from 0.98 inches to 2.70 inches with a statewide average of 0.43 inches. Precipitation gradually tapered off as clouds thinned in western Iowa, where low to mid 50s were present. Temperatures remained in the low 30s farther east as snow showers wrapped in behind the low pressure center. Snow accumulated at 130 stations with totals ranging from 0.1 inches in Clive (Polk County) to 5.7 inches in Dubuque (Dubuque County).
Spotty rain and snow showers continued into Wednesday as strong northerly winds built in across the state with sustained winds in the 20-40 mph range; airports in Algona (Kossuth County) and Cedar Rapids (Linn County) reported 52-mph wind gusts. Clouds cleared west to east with daytime temperatures in the 50s where the sun was visible. Precipitation gradually pushed out of eastern Iowa into the evening hours with Bellevue Lock and Dam (Jackson County) collecting 3.0 inches of snow along with an additional 0.50 inches of rain in Bloomfield.
Overnight lows into Thursday, April 4, dropped into the upper 20s and low 30s in western Iowa, where stars were present. Persistent
cloud cover in eastern Iowa held temperatures in the mid 30s. Overcast conditions remained through the day across Iowa’s eastern
half with mid to upper 40s and gusty northerly winds; conditions were clear and up to 10 degrees warmer farther west. Winds
decreased as the sun set, becoming light and variable into Friday, April 5, with lows in the upper 20s in central and northern Iowa.
Easterly winds increased through the day with sunny skies and afternoon temperatures in the 50s to low 60s east to west.
Gusty southeasterly winds returned on Saturday as a strong low pressure center approached from the west. Daytime temperatures
were the warmest of the week with some stations in the upper 60s while widespread upper 50s and low 60s were reported. A thin
line of thundershowers formed in the evening hours in west-central Iowa followed by a broader swath of showers overnight into
Sunday. Rain totals were generally under 0.20 inches though amounts approaching 0.50 inches were found in north central
Iowa.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.03 inches in Audubon (Audubon County) to 4.40 inches in DeWitt (Clinton County).
The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.02 inches, almost double the normal of 0.66 inches. Sioux City Airport reported
the week’s high temperature of 69 degrees on April 6, 11 degrees warmer than average. Elkader (Clayton County) reported the week’s
low temperature of nine degrees on April 6, 10 degrees cooler than normal. Four-inch soil temperatures ranged from the low 40s north
to upper 40s south as of Sunday.
