Iowa Crop Progress and Conditions Report

Week of May 20-26, 2019

DES MOINES, Iowa (May 28, 2019) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly from April through November.

“The Corn Belt is stuck in a weather pattern that’s creating persistent, wet conditions,” said Secretary Naig. “This is causing historic planting delays. With only one day suitable for fieldwork last week, corn progress is 10 days behind and soybeans are two weeks behind last year. We know farmers are anxious to get their crops in the field if we get a break from the rain.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s site at nass.usda.gov/ia.  

Crop Report

Heavy rainfall and damaging storms kept Iowa farmers from making much planting progress with only 1.0 day suitable for fieldwork statewide during the week ending May 26, 2019, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. South central and southeast Iowa farmers reported less than a half day suitable for fieldwork this past week with little to no planting progress. Several comments were received about Iowa farmers investigating prevented planting options. 

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 41 percent adequate and 59 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 55 percent surplus. 

Only 6 percent of the expected corn crop was planted this past week. Iowa corn growers now have 76 percent of the expected crop planted, 10 days behind last year and 2 weeks behind the 5-year average. This is the smallest amount of corn planted by May 26 since 1995 when 75 percent of the expected crop had been planted. Forty-two percent of the crop has emerged, 9 days behind last year and 10 days behind average. 

Less than one-third of the expected soybean crop has been planted, two weeks behind last year and average. This is the smallest percent of soybeans planted by May 26 since 1993 when just 23 percent of the expected crop had been planted. Eight percent of the crop has emerged, 12 days behind last year and 8 days behind average. 

Eighty-seven percent of the expected oat crop has emerged, 8 days behind average. There were reports that some alfalfa hay is ready to be cut, but wet conditions prevented Iowa farmers from entering the fields. Hay condition decreased slightly to 60 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition improved to 64 percent good to excellent. Continued rains made feedlots muddy and stressed cattle.

Preliminary Weather Summary

Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
 
May’s last full week saw an active weather pattern across Iowa that brought continued unseasonable wetness and severe weather. Measurable rainfall was observed every day of the reporting period along with six days of at least one severe weather report. Average temperatures were unseasonably cool with northwestern Iowa experiencing the coolest conditions.

Highs on Monday (20th) were well below average as cloudy conditions blanketed Iowa. Overnight lows Sunday (19th) into Monday dipped into the upper 30s northeast to upper 40s southeast. Highs only reached the mid 50s with the warmest temperatures in northern and eastern Iowa, though 10-20 degrees below average. Rain moved across Iowa’s southern third ahead of a strong low pressure system that brought unseasonably wet conditions across the state Tuesday (21st). The low spun out of Missouri and brought multiple waves of moderate to heavy rainfall across Iowa. All stations reported measurable rain with the highest totals across southern Iowa; accumulations ranged from 0.22 inches in Muscatine (Muscatine County) to 1.64 inches in Algona (Kossuth County).

Severe thunderstorms moved into southwestern Iowa late in the night into early Wednesday (22nd) morning. An EF-2 rated tornado touched down in Adair (Adair County) with estimated wind speeds up to 130 mph. Extensive structural damage was reported at a house and nearby farm buildings. Unfortunately, one fatality and one injury were reported; this was the first tornado-related death in Iowa since April 27th, 2014. 

An EF-1 rated tornado also touched down in Anita (Cass County) causing barn damage. As the system exited Iowa, light rain showers formed in northwestern Iowa leaving average totals of around a tenth of an inch. The rest of the day was warm and windy under sunny skies. Brisk southwest winds between 25-35 mph boosted highs near 80 degrees in southeastern Iowa; temperatures were in the mid 60s to low 70s across the rest of Iowa. Isolated severe thunderstorms raced through Lee County during late evening, leaving behind 1-inch hail reports and heavy rainfall.

Thursday (23rd) was dry for most of the day with high pressure to the west of Iowa. A potent low pressure system moved into the state in the evening, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms that remained into Friday (24th) morning. Warm daytime highs helped fuel thunderstorms in eastern Iowa during the late afternoon and evening hours. An EF-1 rated tornado briefly touched down in southwest Johnson County causing minor structural damage. Thunderstorms, some severe, formed over Iowa’s southern half during the evening and through the night on Saturday (25th). Rainfall persisted into Sunday (26th) with totals at 7:00 am averaging 0.25 inch; Keokuk reported 2.21 inches, 1.93 inches above average. Weekend temperatures were above average by up to four to eight degrees across most of Iowa.

Weekly rainfall totals ranged from 1.48 inches in Cedar Rapids (Linn County) to 5.42 inches in Red Oak (Montgomery County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 2.60 inches, over double the normal of 1.05 inches. Temperatures averaged 58.9 degrees, 4.0 degrees below normal. The week’s high temperature of 87 degrees was observed at Keokuk Lock and Dam (Lee County) on the 24th, 11 degrees warmer than average. Sibley (Osceola County) reported the week’s low temperature of 33 degrees on the 21st, 14 degrees below average.