Ia-crop-weather State Iowa Crops & Weather Released April 4, 2005 For the Month of March 2005 Issue IA-CW1405 Waiting to Plant Warm, dry weather led to early field work. Farmers have been tiling for drainage, chisel plowing, and applying lime. A great deal of dry fertilizer and anhydrous ammonia has been applied, especially in the Southern two-thirds of the state. Grain movement has picked up in some areas with ethanol plants receiving large amounts of corn. Reporters note Asian Rust is still being discussed and there is concern over high fuel and other input costs. Livestock enjoyed mild weather especially the cow-calf population. Calving has been easier than usual. Feedlot operators have experienced a great winter and early spring for feed yard conditions. At the end of March, on average, there was no remaining snow cover across Iowa. This compares with the lack of snow cover, visibly zero inches, at the same time last year. The average depth of frost penetration for the state was 3 inches, compared to last year's 1 inch. Soil moisture availability was rated 5 percent very short, 16 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Movement of grain for the state was 19 percent none, 33 percent light, 37 percent moderate, and 11 percent heavy. Availability of hay and roughage supplies was 5 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus. Quality of hay and roughage supplies was 6 percent poor, 41 percent fair, and 53 percent good. Utilization of stubble fields for grazing rated 46 percent none, 27 percent limited, 19 percent moderate, and 8 percent extensive. Hog and pig losses in March were 18 percent below average, 80 percent average, and 2 percent above average. Cattle and calf losses were 27 percent below average, 71 percent average, and 2 percent above average. Iowa Preliminary Weather Summary - March 2005 General Summary: Iowa temperatures averaged 36.6 degrees or 0.6 degrees above normal while precipitation totaled 1.05 inches or 1.16 inches less than normal. This ranks as the 51st warmest and 28th driest March among 133 years of state records. Temperatures: As is typical of the spring season, temperatures were quite variable during March as there were no runs of above or below normal temperatures lasting for more than five days. March began on the cold side of normal with temperatures falling as low as 4 degrees at Sibley on the morning of the 2nd and 5 degrees at Cresco on the morning of the 3rd. Just a few days later temperatures soared to 75 degrees at Sioux City and Shenandoah on the 6th. Brief spells of cold weather brought lows down to 5 degrees at Sanborn on the 13th and again at Northwood on the 20th. The month ended with five consecutive warmer than normal days with temperatures reaching 82 degrees at Sioux City on the 28th and also at Glenwood on the 29th. Heating Degree Days: Home heating requirements, as estimated by heating degree day totals, averaged 15 percent greater than last March but 3 percent less than normal. So far this heating season (since July 1) degree day totals are running 7 percent less than last season at this time and 12 percent less than normal. Fortunately for Iowan's pocketbooks we have now had five consecutive milder than normal seasons (3 warmer than normal winters and 2 cooler than normal summers). Precipitation: Monthly precipitation totals were below normal over nearly all of Iowa. The only significant precipitation event of the month was a heavy snowstorm across extreme northern Iowa on the 18th. Snowfall totals from this mid-month storm reached 16.8 inches at Northwood with amounts over 20 inches just over the border in south central and southeast Minnesota. Meanwhile, large portions of southwestern Iowa have recorded no measurable snow since February 9. Preliminary monthly precipitation totals varied from 0.44 inches at Mapleton to 2.48 inches at Northwood (including the moisture content of 18.4 inches of snow). At Mapleton no measurable precipitation fell between February 24 and March 24. Severe Weather: Large hail was reported from 9 central and south central Iowa counties on the evening of the 6th. The largest severe weather event so far this year arrived on the 30th when severe weather, mostly hail, was reported from 27 counties scattered all over Iowa. This event brought the year's first tornadoes with reports received from four north central Iowa counties. Snow Cover and Frost Penetration for the Month of March ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Districts : : : Item :-----------------------------------------------------------------------: State : Last : Last : NW : NC : NE : WC : C : EC : SW : SC : SE : : Month : Year ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Inches : Snow cover : 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Frost penetration : 7 7 9 3 1 1 0 0 0 3 7 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ March Weather Summary For Iowa Agricultural Statistics Service Prepared by AWIS, Inc. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : :DAYS:DAYS : AIR TEMPERATURE : PRECIPITATION : : : OF : OF STATION :-----------------------------------------: HDD : HDD : 32 : 28 : HI : LO :AVG :DFN : TOTAL : DFN :DAYS : TOT : DFN :COLD:COLD ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : North West District : Estherville : 71 9 31 2 0.20 -1.65 2 1,033 -52 27 22 Sioux Center : 76 8 36 3 0.42 -1.50 3 878 -85 29 21 Spencer : 76 6 34 3 0.23 -1.67 3 950 -67 26 19 Spirit Lake : 72 8 33 4 0.56 -1.20 4 979 105 25 20 : North Central District : Britt : 71 9 31 -3 1.06 -0.78 6 1,054 62 28 25 Humboldt : 74 10 33 -2 1.07 -0.96 5 985 -13 27 24 Mason City : 73 7 32 1 1.30 -0.70 6 1,010 -32 27 23 Northwood : 68 5 30 -1 2.48 0.48 7 1,084 16 28 25 : North East District : Decorah : 74 6 34 2 1.01 -0.88 10 951 -32 28 24 Dubuque : 70 12 34 1 0.75 -2.14 8 940 -29 25 19 Elkader : 74 7 33 -1 1.01 -1.13 8 978 164 28 27 Independence : 73 11 34 1 1.70 -0.32 11 969 115 29 26 Waterloo : 74 11 35 2 1.14 -1.16 8 920 -36 26 22 : West Central District : Audubon : 76 8 35 -2 1.24 -1.07 3 917 37 27 24 Carroll : 77 8 36 2 1.52 -0.71 5 896 -57 26 20 Castana : 76 10 36 0 0.67 -1.46 4 882 -105 27 20 Guthrie Center : 77 7 36 1 0.63 -1.82 2 890 -18 27 21 Harlan : 78 10 37 0 1.82 -0.29 4 867 -92 27 22 Jefferson : 75 11 36 2 0.95 -1.28 7 898 -55 27 21 Logan : 78 11 38 3 1.78 -0.26 4 830 -67 26 21 Rockwell City : 76 10 35 -1 1.24 -0.65 5 937 10 28 22 Sioux City : 82 10 39 4 0.80 -1.16 4 791 -116 19 18 : Central District : Ames : 75 9 37 4 1.17 -0.99 6 865 -112 27 16 Boone : 76 10 36 1 1.31 -1.00 7 899 -25 28 20 Des Moines : 77 14 39 3 1.50 -0.83 7 792 -68 19 15 Eldora : 73 11 35 2 1.79 -0.20 7 933 -36 28 22 Marshalltown : 73 8 36 2 1.27 -1.12 7 900 -41 27 21 Newton : 74 11 35 -2 1.12 -1.11 7 916 29 27 19 Perry : 77 11 36 2 1.39 -0.62 6 901 -48 27 19 Toledo : 72 11 34 1 1.01 -1.25 5 944 -12 28 24 : East Central District : Cedar Rapids : 74 10 36 2 0.72 -1.60 6 884 -32 25 20 Davenport : 75 12 37 0 0.84 -1.41 7 859 -15 25 19 Iowa City : 76 15 39 1 0.93 -1.43 6 808 -23 22 16 Lowden : 75 10 35 0 1.24 -1.30 9 919 11 28 22 Maquoketa : 72 11 34 -1 0.80 -1.48 8 953 6 27 24 Muscatine : 73 14 37 -3 1.22 -1.49 10 871 -130 25 14 : South West District : Clarinda : 77 12 38 2 1.08 -1.37 6 820 -53 24 21 Glenwood : 82 12 40 3 0.76 -1.29 5 778 -61 24 20 Oakland : 78 11 38 3 1.13 -1.01 5 828 -91 26 20 Red Oak : 78 13 39 0 1.40 -0.86 5 792 -12 24 20 Sidney : 78 13 40 3 0.63 -1.68 7 770 -58 23 18 : South Central District : Allerton : 73 13 37 -1 0.82 -1.49 8 859 -221 24 20 Beaconsfield : 74 13 37 1 0.61 -1.62 5 847 -21 25 19 Chariton : 74 11 37 -1 0.93 -1.39 9 862 3 24 20 Indianola : 77 14 38 0 0.82 -1.37 5 847 -13 27 19 Leon : 76 13 38 1 0.89 -1.41 8 822 -35 24 21 : South East District : Bloomfield : 75 17 38 -3 0.72 -1.85 6 845 59 24 17 Burlington : 76 19 39 1 0.84 -2.01 9 789 -25 21 14 Ottumwa : 75 14 38 0 0.87 -1.41 8 826 -6 24 15 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Precipitation (rain, melted snow or ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precipitation of 0.01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 2005: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Information: Iowa Agricultural Statistics 210 Walnut St., Rm 833 Des Moines, IA 50309 1-800-772-0825 Fax 515-284-4342 nass-ia@nass.usda.gov