After the previous week’s near-record corn planting, wet weather hindered spring planting during the week ending May 10 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide (and in west central Iowa) there were only 2.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities during the week included planting, fertilizer and herbicide application, and seedbed preparation.
Topsoil moisture levels statewide rated 7 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Topsoil moisture levels in west central Iowa rated 4 percent sort, 86 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa were 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 87 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus.
Eighty-three percent of the corn crop has been planted, approximately one week ahead of both last year and 5-year average. Southwest Iowa lagged behind, with just 64 percent planted, compared to the highest district, northwest Iowa, where 96 percent of the corn was in the ground. In west central Iowa 79 percent of the corn acreage is planted.
Corn emerged reached 29 percent (23 percent in west central Iowa), just over one week ahead of last year. Corn emergence was described as excellent with reports of high stand counts in some areas.
Soybean planting reached 30 percent complete (21 percent in west central Iowa), five days ahead of 2014, and three days ahead of the average. Ninety-eight percent of the oat crop has been planted, 10 days ahead of last year, and one week ahead of normal. Oats emerged reached 83 percent (94 percent in west central Iowa), nine days ahead of last year and five days ahead of normal. The season’s first oat condition ratings came in at 21 percent fair, 68 percent good, and 11 percent excellent.
Limited progress has been made on the first cutting of alfalfa hay due to the cool wet weather. The first hay condition rating of the season was 1 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Pasture condition improved to 67 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as mostly normal with continued reports of cattle being turned onto pasture. Meanwhile, poultry producers remain concerned about their flocks given the recent spread of avian influenza.
Iowa preliminary weather summary by Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship: It was a warm week across Iowa with frequent precipitation. Temperatures were well above normal through Thursday, May 7, and then cooled to near normal readings from Friday into Sunday. Temperature extremes varied from a Saturday morning low May 9 of 33 degrees at Sibley to afternoon highs of 84 degrees at Muscatine on Wednesday, May 6, and at Clinton, Davenport and Donnellson on Thursday.
Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from three degrees above normal over the northwest to eight to nine degrees above normal over the southeast with a statewide average of 6.4 degrees above normal. Rainfall was widespread from Sunday, May 3, into Monday morning with heaviest rain over northeast Iowa. Rain was again widespread the next night with greatest amounts over east central and southeast Iowa. Showers and thunderstorms were also widespread from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening with greatest amounts over west central and southwest Iowa. Light rain fell across far southeast Iowa on Friday while Saturday was dry in most areas. Thunderstorms moved back into the state on Sunday morning May 10, but the majority of this precipitation fell too late to be reflected in this week’s statistics.
Weekly rain totals varied from only 0.09 inches at Hartford in Warren County to 4.46 inches at Lost Nation in Clinton County. The statewide average precipitation was 0.98 inches, nearly matching the weekly normal of 0.99 inches.
There were scattered reports of high winds and large hail on Thursday. More intense severe weather occurred on Sunday, particularly in Calhoun County, but will be included in next week’s summary. Soil temperatures at the four inch depth were averaging from the upper 50s in northwest Iowa to lower 60s across the southeast.
