Warm, mostly dry weather helped Iowa farmers make significant harvest progress last week, while northwest Iowa received some of the state’s limited rainfall.
According to the USDA’s Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report for October 19th through the 25th, corn harvest reached 47 percent complete. That remained 20 percentage points behind the five-year average. Soybean harvest reached 78 percent complete, six percentage points behind average.
Farmers had 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the reporting period.
“Warm, mostly dry weather kept combines rolling and helped farmers make significant harvest progress last week,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said. “Iowa has experienced unseasonably warm temperatures this fall. As farmers continue fall field work, it’s important to time nutrient applications based on ’50-and-falling’ best practices instead of dates on the calendar, especially with a warmer and wetter weather pattern setting up as we head into November.”
Corn condition was rated 73 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition was rated 69 percent good to excellent.
Topsoil moisture was rated six percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated seven percent short, 79 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus.
Northwest Iowa was among the few areas to receive measurable rainfall during the week, according to the weather summary prepared by State Climatologist Justin Glisan.
Showers developed along a slow-moving boundary around midnight Friday and continued across northwest Iowa Saturday morning. The summary listed rainfall amounts of 0.62 inch in Rock Valley, 0.35 inch in Sanborn, and 0.28 inch in Le Mars.
Statewide, average precipitation totaled just 0.02 inch, compared with the normal weekly amount of 0.60 inch.
Temperatures also remained above normal. Iowa’s average temperature was 59.7 degrees, 5.4 degrees above normal, with departures nearing 15 degrees above normal in northern Iowa.
The Sioux City Airport recorded the state’s highest temperature of the week at 81 degrees on October 22nd, 22 degrees above normal. Little Sioux recorded the lowest temperature at 27 degrees on October 19th.
The USDA releases its weekly crop progress reports from April through November, with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship providing an accompanying weather summary.
