Warm, and continued dry conditions allowed Iowa farmers 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sept. 14, 2025, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included finishing up the third cutting of hay, harvesting corn silage and preparing for row crop harvest.
Topsoil moisture condition statewide rated 4 percent very short, 22 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 4 percent very short, 12 percent short, 72 percent adequate, 12 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture condition across the state rated 2 percent very short, 18 percent short, 71 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Rating in west central Iowa were 3 percent very short, 11 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus.
Ninety percent of corn was dented or beyond, five days ahead of last year and one day ahead of the five-year average. Forty-eight percent of corn has matured, four days ahead of last year and threedays ahead of average. Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 59 percent good and 20 percent excellent.
Soybeans coloring advanced to 73 percent, two days ahead of last year and one day ahead of average. Thirty-five percent of soybeans were dropping leaves. Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 57 percent good and 18 percent excellent.
The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 96 percent complete. Pasture condition rated 63 percent good to excellent.
Weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., state cClimatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – Temperatures were well above average throughout the reporting period, with positive departures on the order of three to six degrees. The statewide average temperature was 69.1 degrees, 4.0 degrees warmer than normal. Unseasonable dryness also continued into the middle of September, with numerous stations reporting no rainfall from central to southeastern Iowa.
Sunday afternoon, Sept. 7, was pleasant, with variable winds, mostly sunny skies and temperatures ranging from the mid 60s to the low 70s. Winds shifted to a southerly direction into Monday, with morning lows in the upper 40s and low 50s. Daytime temperatures held in the 70s with partly cloudy skies in western Iowa.
Scattered showers moved into southwestern Iowa by daybreak on Tuesday, Sept. 9, expanding into northern Iowa through the day. Rainfall totals were generally light, though a few stations reported higher amounts; 0.61 inch was observed in Rock Rapids (Lyon County), while Persia (Harrison County) collected 0.80 inch. Afternoon conditions were cloudy in northern Iowa with highs in the low 70s, while farther south, temperatures were several degrees warmer.
Showers continued into the early morning Wednesday in northern Iowa, with many locations observing at least 0.50 inch. The highest totals were in north-central to northeast Iowa, ranging from 0.81 inch in Stanley (Buchanan County) to 0.96 inch in Osage (Mitchell County). Daytime conditions were sunny, with temperatures rising into the low 80s under light and variable winds.
Thursday, Sept. 11, began a stretch of increasingly warm days, with temperatures rising into the upper 70s in the north to the mid 80s in the south. Skies remained clear into Friday, with southerly winds and highs in the 90s across southeastern Iowa. Scattered showers developed in western Iowa and moved east through the day, leaving very light totals at several stations; Swisher (Johnson County) registered 0.01 inch, while Le Mars collected 0.07 inch.
Saturday morning. Sept.13, was unseasonably warm, with lows in the mid to upper 60s at most locations under clear skies. Afternoon conditions were hot, with highs in the mid to upper 90s; the statewide average temperature was 93 degrees, 17 degrees warmer than normal. Patchy fog was reported in eastern Iowa around sunrise on Sunday, with light east to southeasterly winds and temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. The weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at many Iowa stations to 1.22 inches in Elma (Howard County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.10 inch, while the climatological normal is 0.85 inch. Davenport (Scott County) reported the week’s highest temperature of 99 degrees on Sept. 13, 22 degrees above normal. Several stations reported the week’s lowest temperature of 35 degrees on Sept. 8, on average 16 degrees below normal.
