Favorable weather conditions at the beginning of the week ending April 28 allowed Iowa farmers to make planting progress according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. However, rain and snow over the weekend created some fieldwork delays. Statewide there were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included hauling manure, applying anhydrous, tillage and planting.
Topsoil moisture levels across Iowa rated 1 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 25 percent surplus. Levels in west central Iowa rated 87 percent adequate and 13 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture levels statewide rated 1 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 33 percent surplus. In west central Iowa subsoil moisture levels rated 82 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus.
Iowa farmers have planted 21 percent of the expected corn crop, two days ahead of last year but two days behind the 5-year average. Central, south central, and southeast Iowa farmers already have at least one-third of their corn planted. West central farmers have 32 percent of the corn crop planted.
Soybean planting has started with 3 percent of the expected crop in the ground, similar to last year and the average. Seventy-seven percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, over one week ahead of last year but equal to the average. Fourteen percent of the crop has emerged, eight days behind average. In west central Iowa 83 percent of the expected oat crop has been planted and 16 percent has emerged.
Iowa preliminary weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D, state climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – The last full week of April experienced wetter than average conditions across parts of northern and eastern Iowa, and near to drier than average conditions moving south. Temperatures also varied across the state with southern Iowa a few degrees warmer than average; the rest of Iowa was near normal.
A low pressure center spun through Iowa on Monday, April 22, leaving measurable rainfall across much of the state’s northern half. Rainfall totals were generally in the range of 0.20 – 0.60 inch with a few stations reporting more than an inch; Bellevue Lock and Dam (Jackson County) reported 1.37 inches of rain, 1.25 inches more than average. A strong attendant cold front produced severe thunderstorms as it moved through eastern Iowa. Severe hail was reported in Muscatine (Muscatine County). Severe straight-line winds were also reported in Linn County, causing damage to power poles and trees in Mount Vernon.
Tuesday, April 23, was mostly sunny and warm as high pressure dominated the upper Midwest. Daytime highs reached into the mid-60s. Southeastern Iowa experienced light rainfall during the morning hours on Wednesday. Only a few stations reported measurable rainfall; Donnellson (Lee County) picked up 0.06 inch. A cold front entered northwestern Iowa overnight into Thursday, marking a return to a more active weather pattern through the end of the reporting period. Rain totals prior to 7 am on Thursday ranged from 0.18 inch in Sheldon (O’Brien County) to 0.70 in Rock Rapids (Lyon County). As the front moved through the state, measurable rain fell across much of Iowa with heavier amounts in the northwest and southeast; Salem (Henry County) reported 0.45 inch.
Friday, April 26, began clear and cooler with cloud cover and spotty rain showers moving into western Iowa ahead of the next system to impact Iowa. This late season storm brought snow across northern Iowa with the northeast receiving amounts between 2-5 inches; Dubuque (Dubuque County) reported 5 inches. Much of Iowa also received measurable rainfall, generally between 0.20 to 0.50 inch. Overnight lows were below freezing for the northern two-thirds of Iowa. Sunday was cold statewide with daytime highs in the upper 40s north to mid-50s south, 10 – 20 degrees below average.
Temperatures for the week averaged 53.0 degrees or 0.8 degrees cooler than normal. The statewide average precipitation was 0.73 inch while normal for the week is 0.94 inch. The week’s high temperature of 79 degrees was observed in Spencer (Clay County) and Sioux City (Woodbury County) on April 24, on average 14 degrees warmer than average. Stanley (Buchanan County) reported the week’s low temperature of 22 degrees on April 28, 18 degrees below average. Maquoketa (Jackson County) reported the week’s highest precipitation total of 2.31 inches, 1.53 inches above average.
