Iowa experienced hot and dry conditions this week. These conditions allowed Iowa farmers 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sept. 15, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included chopping corn silage and harvesting corn and soybeans.
Topsoil moisture condition statewide rated 6 percent very short, 38 percent short, 55 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were drier, at 11 percent very short, 33 percent short, 55 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture condition across Iowa rated 6 percent very short, 32 percent short, 61 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 12 percent very short, 29 percent short, 57 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Corn in the dent stage or beyond reached 85 percent this week, eight days behind last year and two days behind the five-year average. Corn mature reached 41 percent, four days behind last year but two days ahead of the average. Corn harvested for grain began this week at 2 percent. Corn condition was rated 77 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 72 percent, three days behind last year but two days ahead of the five-year average. Soybean dropping leaves reached 31 percent, three days behind last year. The soybean harvest began this week at 1 percent. Soybean condition was 77 percent good to excellent.
The state’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 96 percent, nine days behind last year but 1 week ahead of the five-year average. Pasture condition fell 11 percentage points to 52 percent good to excellent.
Weather Summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – A dome of high pressure dominated the region over the reporting period, preventing widespread showers and thunderstorms. All of Iowa’s stations reported rainfall deficits. Unseasonably warm conditions also returned to Iowa with positive departures approaching six degrees over northwestern Iowa; the statewide average temperature was 69.1 degrees, 4.0 degrees warmer than normal.
Sunday afternoon, Sept. 8, was sunny with westerly winds and temperatures in the low to mid 70s statewide. Winds swung to the south overnight with morning temperatures on Monday in the upper 40s and low 50s. Afternoon temperatures warmed through the low 80s across western Iowa, while upper 70s were observed farther east.
Clouds increased over central and northern Iowa overnight into Tuesday, Sept. 10, as an upper level disturbance brought showers to northern Iowa towards daybreak. Scattered showers continued to move east through the daytime hours. Persisting southerly winds boosted temperatures into the upper 70s and low 80s. Rainfall totals were under 0.10 inch with totals ranging from 0.01 inch in Orange City (Sioux County) to 0.09 inch in Waterloo (Black Hawk County).
Clear skies reemerged on Wednesday with low temperatures in the mid to upper 50s. Afternoon conditions warmed into the mid to upper 80s across most of Iowa with slightly cooler temperatures southeast. Winds gradually shifted southeasterly as patchy clouds crossed starry skies with temperatures dropping into the 50s north and low 60s southwest. Thursday afternoon, Sept. 12, temperatures warmed into the 80s as gusty southeasterly winds continued under sunny skies. A shift to light easterly winds occurred through the overnight hours as lows ranged from the upper 50s north to low 60s south.
Morning lows on Friday varied from the mid 50s northwest to mid 60s southeast with light, variable winds and mostly clear skies. Higher level clouds from the northern remnants of Hurricane Francine clipped southeastern Iowa through the afternoon hours with temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s. A narrow line of showers formed in central Iowa into the evening, though much of the rain evaporated before hitting the surface. Additional showers formed in northeastern Iowa very early on Saturday, Sept. 14, with lighter totals reported at several stations; Charles City (Floyd County) registered 0.14 inch while Mason City (Cerro Gordo County) recorded 0.30 inch. Partly to mostly cloudy skies remained into the late afternoon with gradual clearing west to east. Spotty thundershowers formed along the Iowa-Illinois border around sunset with measurable totals at a handful of stations; the National Weather Service office in Davenport (Scott County) collected 0.09 inch. Muggy conditions were reported on Sunday morning with dewpoints and air temperatures in the low to mid 60s.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation across most of Iowa to 0.35 inch at Rockwell (Cerro Gordo County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.03 inch while the normal is 0.85 inch. Little Sioux (Harrison County) reported the week’s high temperature of 90 degrees on Sept. 9, 11 degrees warmer than normal. Elkader (Clayton County) reported a low temperature of 38 degrees on Sept. 9, 13 degrees cooler than normal.
