Iowans experienced another week of dry and windy conditions which allowed farmers 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 6, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Corn and soybean harvest continued to be the primary field activities for the week. Combine and other equipment fires were reported as weather conditions increased the risk of such fires.
Topsoil moisture condition across Iowa rated 22 percent very short, 42 percent short and 36 percent adequate. In west central Iowa topsoil moisture condition rated 34 percent very short, 41 percent short and 25 percent adequate.
Subsoil moisture condition statewide rated 16 percent very short, 44 percent short, 39 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 29 percent very short, 45 percent short, and 26 percent adequate.
Corn mature reached 90 percent, six days behind last year but five days ahead of the five-year average. Corn harvested for grain reached 22 percent, two days behind last year but one day ahead of normal. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was 18 percent. Corn condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans dropping leaves reached 93 percent, one day ahead of last year and five days ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans harvested reached 58 percent this week, four days ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of the average. Iowa farmers were able to harvest 31 percent of the state’s soybean crop during the week ending Oct. 6. Soybean condition rated 76 percent good to excellent.
Pasture condition continued to fall and rated just 38 percent good to excellent this week, a decrease of 6 percentage points. Livestock water resources continue to be a concern.
Weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – The first week of October saw continued unseasonably warm conditions as a stable weather pattern dominated the region; the statewide average temperature was 62.9 degrees, 6.5 degrees warmer than normal. This was also the fifth consecutive reporting period of below average rainfall with much of northern and western Iowa in moisture deficits as drought expands.
Sunday afternoon, Sept. 29, was pleasant with low dewpoints and temperatures in the low to mid 80s under sunny skies. Morning temperatures on Monday dropped into the 40s across portions of western Iowa with mid to upper 50s over the rest of Iowa. Gusty southerly winds built in through the daytime hours with some clouds in eastern Iowa and temperatures in the 80s.
Temperatures dropped, and winds shifted northwesterly as a cold front pushed though the state into Tuesday morning, Oct. 1. Conditions were in the low to mid 40s in western Iowa while mid to upper 50s were observed ahead of the boundary in eastern Iowa. Afternoon temperatures held in the mid to upper 60s under cloudless skies and light northerly winds. Winds swung to a southerly direction after midnight with morning lows on Wednesday ranging from the upper 30s southeast to upper 40s northwest with patchy cloud cover in southwest Iowa. Southwesterly winds became gusty ahead of a cold front crossing through the Upper Midwest; highs were comfortable in the 70s with ample sunshine.
Thursday, Oct. 3, started off with lows in the mid 40s east to mid 50s west with winds turning east as a low pressure center approached Iowa from the southwest. Daytime temperatures warmed into the 80s across southern Iowa while low 70s were reported farther north. Clouds increased across the state as the cold front swung southeast. A line of showers and elevated thunderstorms formed just after midnight along and south of I-80. Several storms were severe-warned after quickly intensifying as they moved through southeastern Iowa, producing moderate to heavy rain and pea-sized hail. The highest rain totals ranged from 0.50 inch in Muscatine (Muscatine County) to more than 1.00 inch in Ottumwa (Wapello County) and Columbus Junction (Louisa County). Lesser amounts, at or under 0.20 inch, were reported at several central and northeastern Iowa stations.
Friday dawned chilly in northwestern Iowa with upper 30s and low 40s reported. Lingering clouds held temperatures in the mid to upper 50s southeast as the front pushed east. Afternoon conditions were sunny and near seasonal with highs in the low 70s and easterly winds. Partly cloudy skies developed into Saturday, Oct. 5, with patchy fog at southwestern stations and low temperatures in the 50s. Daytime temperatures quickly rose into the upper 80s and low 90s across much of Iowa as a cold front swept into western Iowa. Atlantic (Cass County) hit 96 degrees, just one degree off the statewide record high temperature for October set in 1897; the average high was 87 degrees, 19 degrees warmer than normal. Starry skies were visible overnight with morning lows on Sunday dropping into the mid 30s in northeastern Iowa.
Weekly rain totals ranged from no accumulation across much of Iowa to 1.20 inches in Columbus Junction. The statewide weekly average rainfall was 0.10 inch while the normal is 0.74 inch. Atlantic reported the week’s high temperature of 96 degrees on Oct. 5, 6 degrees warmer than normal. Elkader (Clayton County) and Spencer Municipal Airport (Clay County) reported the week’s low temperature of 34 degrees on Oct. 3 and Oct. 6, respectively, eight degrees cooler than normal.
