There were 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 7, 2026, which is 0.2 days more than last year, when there were 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture condition across the state rated 5 percent very short, 19 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 5 percent very short, 21 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus.
Corn planting in Iowa reached 98 percent complete, which is 1 percentage point behind last year. Corn emerged reached 92 percent, 1 percentage point ahead of last year. Corn condition rated 84 percent good to excellent. Soybean planting reached 97 percent complete, which is unchanged from last year. Soybeans emerged reached 86 percent, which is 1 percentage point behind last year. Soybean condition rated 80 percent good to excellent.
Pasture condition rated 74 percent good to excellent.
Weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – June began with unseasonably wet conditions across a southwest to northeast swath of Iowa. Beneficial rains fell after the 35th driest May in 154 years of statewide records. Unseasonable warmth persisted with the highest departures from central to western Iowa; the statewide average temperature was 72.8 degrees, 5.9 degrees above normal.
Light rain was reported into Sunday afternoon, May 31, from central to northeast Iowa. Stronger thunderstorms fired along the state’s western border after sunset. There was a handful of reports of large hail and straight-line winds, causing some isolated tree damage. Locally heavy rainfall was also reported at multiple stations with 1.00 inch in Persia (Harrison County) to 2.16 inches in Bedford (Taylor County).
Monday dawned with morning lows in the 60s, mostly clear skies and light winds generally out of the east. Afternoon temperatures rose into the upper 80s in west-central Iowa which helped fuel isolated thunderstorms that produced some large hail. While rainfall was concentrated over a smaller area, Perry (Dallas County) collected 0.61 inch while two stations in Jefferson (Greene County) registered 0.80 to 1.12 inches.
Winds held easterly into Tuesday, June 2, with morning temperatures in the upper 50s southeast to mid 60s northwest with a few passing clouds in central Iowa. Daytime conditions were pleasant, as highs reached into the upper 70s and low 80s with low relative humidity and ample sunshine. Winds swung to the south overnight into Wednesday, becoming gusty by the afternoon hours across southern Iowa. Afternoon conditions were mostly clear except for clouds pushing into southwestern Iowa and statewide temperatures in the low 80s.
Clouds increased over western Iowa through the early morning hours on Thursday, June 4, as a low pressure center pushed along the Iowa-Minnesota border. As the attendant cold front swept across the state through the daytime hours, a line of showers and thunderstorms consolidated as it moved into central Iowa. Some embedded cells produced moderate to heavy rainfall as the line advanced into eastern Iowa. More than 130 stations reported at least an inch with nearly 30 collecting at least two inches. The highest totals were found from central to northeast Iowa; Story City (Story County) observed 2.50 inches with two Buchanan County stations, Independence and Winthrop registering 3.52 and 4.00 inches, respectively. Northwestern and southeastern stations reported measurable totals, though generally in the 0.25-0.50 inch range with an overall statewide average of 0.84 inch.
Friday began with foggy conditions over much of the state due to overnight rainfall, light winds and ample low-level humidity. Morning temperatures varied from the mid 60s northwest to low 70s southeast. Skies remained mostly cloudy through the day with southwesterly winds and temperatures in the low 80s. Slow-moving thunderstorms fired over southern Iowa during the evening hours after ample heating and in the presence of anomalous atmospheric water vapor availability. Several cells became tornado warned, though no touchdowns were reported. Very heavy rain fell across Lucas County, where flooded basements and washed-out roads were reported. Williamson observed 3.40 inches with 4.09 inches in Chariton and 4.62 inches in Russell.
Conditions stabilized into Saturday morning with clear skies and light, variable winds. Ideal weather persisted throughout the day with temperatures warming into the 80s. Light showers spun into southern Iowa by daybreak on Sunday, June 7, with unseasonably warm morning temperatures in the low 70s statewide. Weekly precipitation totals ranged 0.03 inch in Sac City (Sac County) to 5.52 inches in Russell (Lucas County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.17 inch; the normal is 1.18 inches. Several stations reported the week’s high temperature of 93 degrees on June 6, on average 15 degrees above normal. Elkader (Clayton County) reported the week’s low temperature of 41 degrees on June 3, 11 degrees below normal.
