A productive week of fieldwork was halted by weekend rains in Iowa during the week ending April 19, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Farmers in west central Iowa had 3.8 days. Activities for the week included manure hauling, tillage, oat seeding, anhydrous application, and some corn planting.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent very short, 13 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Topsoil ratings in west central Iowa were 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 2 percent very short, 18 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were 1 percent short, 17 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 14 percent surplus.
North central Iowa reported the highest topsoil moisture level with 98 percent in adequate to surplus, while west central and north central Iowa reported the highest subsoil moisture levels with both at 90 percent adequate to surplus.
Seven percent of the corn acreage has been planted (6 percent in west central Iowa), four days ahead of last year, but equal to the 5-year average.
Nearly one-third of the state’s expected oat crop was planted during the week, third highest percentage seeded for the third week of April in 20 years. Seventy-four percent of the oat crop has been planted (80 percent in west central Iowa), more than two weeks ahead of last year, and one week ahead of the average. Oats emerged reached 21 percent, one week ahead of last year, but fractionally behind normal.
Pasture condition improved to 52 percent good to excellent. Pastures continued to green up, with reports coming out of central Iowa of cows being moved to pasture. Livestock conditions were reported as good.
Iowa preliminary weather summary, by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
A pair of storm systems brought widespread rain to Iowa this past reporting week. The first event from late Sunday (April 12) into Monday (April 13) morning brought a statewide average of 0.34 inches of rain with largest amounts along the Missouri border, where a few locations received over an inch, and least along the Minnesota border. The other event began Saturday (April 18) morning over southwest Iowa and continued into Monday (April 20 morning over eastern Iowa. This second event brought a statewide average of 1.17 inches of rain with an inch or more falling over a broad area from southwest, through central, into parts of north central Iowa. Much lesser amounts fell over the far northwest corner of the state and near the Illinois border. There was also some very light rainfall over southwest and west central Iowa on Wednesday (April 15). Rain totals for the week varied from 0.15 inches at Lester (Lyon County) to 2.93 inches at Bedford. The statewide average precipitation for the week as a whole was 1.51 inches, while normal for the period is 0.85 inches.
Meanwhile, temperatures were above normal throughout the week with warmest readings from Thursday through Saturday (April 16-18), but with unseasonably mild readings persisting into Sunday (April 19) over far eastern Iowa. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 7.8 degrees above normal. Nevertheless, a freeze was recorded over portions of Iowa on Tuesday (14th) morning with Elkader the cold spot at 27 degrees. On the other extreme temperatures reached 82 degrees at Donnellson (Lee County) on Friday.
Soil temperatures at the four inch depth as of Sunday (April 19) were averaging in the low 50s northwest to low 60s far southeast but will be falling substantially with much cooler weather expected to persist throughout the coming week.
