Ia-crop-weather State Iowa Crops & Weather Released September 6, 2005 Week Ending Date September 4, 2005 Issue IA-CW3605 Rapid Crop Development Another week with limited rainfall and higher than normal temperatures prevailed throughout most of Iowa this past week. Precipitation levels were below normal across the state last week. However, dry conditions gave way to other concerns, as one reporter commented, "High fuel prices, low grain prices and hurricane Katrina have been the main topics of discussion." Farmers were able to make good progress as nearly every day was suitable for fieldwork. Seed corn harvest is underway and some reports of chopping silage and harvesting high moisture corn were received. Soybeans continue to mature rapidly with nearly half the state's crop in the leaves turning color stage. Third harvest of alfalfa hay made good progress last week as ninety percent of the crop has been harvested. There were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork, up from the previous week's 5.7 days and the previous year's 5.8 days. Topsoil moisture rating declined once again from a week ago with about half of the state rated in the very short to short range. Topsoil moisture rated 17 percent very short, 34 percent short, 47 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus across Iowa. Subsoil moisture declined as well with 21 percent rated very short, 32 percent short, 45 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Field Crops Report: Corn condition changed little from the previous week with 3 percent rated very poor, 8 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 46 percent good, and 22 percent excellent. Corn in the dough stage reached 97 percent, up 6 percentage points from a week ago and 4 percentage points ahead of normal. Corn dented reached 82 percent, which is ahead of last year and the 5-year average. Corn mature reached 15 percent, which is ahead of last year at 8 percent, but slightly behind normal at 20 percent. Soybean leaves turning color reached 47 percent, which is 12 percentage points ahead of last year and normal. Soybeans dropping leaves, at 12 percent complete, is ahead of a normal pace at 8 percent. Soybean condition was rated nearly the same as a week ago at 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 50 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 90 percent, which is 12 percentage points ahead of last year and 10 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Hay condition was 10 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 38 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, which is nearly the same rating as a week ago. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report: Pasture and range condition was rated at 16 percent very poor, 24 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 25 percent good, and 3 percent excellent. Livestock were generally reported to be in good condition, but some reports of pink eye and foot rot in range cattle were received. Iowa Weather Summary It was a warm and dry week across Iowa. Daytime high temperatures were mostly in the 80's during the work week except on Wednesday (31st) when a few areas saw highs only in the 70's. The warmest weather came over the weekend with 80's east and 90's west on Saturday (3rd) and Sunday (4th). Much drier air allowed for wider swings in daily temperatures. Lowest temperatures were reported from Atlantic on Thursday (1st) morning and Elkader on Saturday (3rd) morning with 42 degrees while Sioux City reached 95 degrees on Saturday (3rd) and Sunday (4th) afternoons. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 2.3 degrees above normal. A few isolated thunderstorms developed over south central Iowa on Wednesday (31st) with high winds and hail reported in Marion County. Showers and thunderstorms dampened much of the northeast one-third of the state on Sunday (4th) with a few isolated storms in central and southern Iowa. Most of western and southern Iowa received no rain during the week. The greatest reported rain totals were 2.19 inches near Walford (Benton Co.) and 1.44 inches near Lansing (Allamakee Co.). The statewide average precipitation was 0.16 inches while normal for the week is 0.89 inches. This was Iowa's driest week in six months. Statewide Crop Conditions as of September 4, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 3 8 21 46 22 Hay, all : 10 13 31 38 8 Range & Pasture : 16 24 32 25 3 Soybeans : 2 6 21 50 21 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Field Work and Crop Progress as of September 4, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Districts : : : : Item :-----------------------------------------------------:State:Last :Last :Nor- : NW : NC : NE : WC : C : EC : SW : SC : SE : :Week :Year : mal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn in or past dent stage : 83 79 88 79 87 69 87 73 84 82 58 59 73 Corn mature (safe from frost) : 9 4 17 12 23 14 16 16 34 15 5 8 20 Soybean leaves turning color : 41 41 42 51 57 61 42 28 49 47 12 35 35 Soybeans dropping leaves : 13 13 10 13 16 14 8 4 10 12 2 7 8 Hay, alfalfa - third crop harvested : 96 92 87 96 98 90 98 78 95 90 83 78 80 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Days Suitable & Soil Moisture Condition as of September 4, 2005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Districts : : : Item :-----------------------------------------------------------------------: State : Last : Last : NW : NC : NE : WC : C : EC : SW : SC : SE : : Week : Year ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Days : Days suitable : 6.6 6.5 6.3 6.9 6.7 6.2 6.8 6.6 6.9 6.6 5.7 5.8 : : Percent : Topsoil moisture : Very short : 9 2 9 20 7 15 17 42 45 17 14 5 Short : 30 7 28 51 33 48 35 33 42 34 27 14 Adequate : 59 82 62 29 59 37 48 25 13 47 56 72 Surplus : 2 9 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 9 : Subsoil moisture : Very short : 8 3 17 16 8 32 16 50 62 21 19 4 Short : 29 16 29 37 24 55 32 37 30 32 26 16 Adequate : 62 74 51 47 66 13 52 13 8 45 52 74 Surplus : 1 7 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 3 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Weather Summary For Iowa Agricultural Statistics Service Prepared by AWIS, Inc. For the week ending: Sunday, September 4, 2005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : CURRENT WEEK : SINCE APRIL 1 :CURRENT WEEK :-------------------------------------------------------------- STATION : TEMPERATURE :PRECIPITATION: PRECIPITATION :GDD BASE 50F :-------------------------------------------------------------- : HI : LO :AVG :DFN : TOTAL : DFN : TOTAL : DFN : TOTAL :DFN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : North West District : Estherville : 85 48 67 3 0.00 -0.84 13.97 -3.84 125 24 Sioux Center : 91 45 71 5 0.00 -0.77 15.70 -1.88 148 29 Spencer : 92 46 70 5 0.00 -0.84 16.87 -1.84 140 30 Spirit Lake : 89 53 69 5 0.00 -0.84 18.16 0.44 135 -1 : North Central District : Britt : 83 51 67 0 0.00 -0.84 23.92 4.51 120 1 Humboldt : 84 53 67 1 0.00 -0.91 24.21 4.18 123 6 Mason City : 84 48 67 2 0.79 -0.19 25.50 4.97 118 11 Northwood : 82 49 66 2 0.92 -0.07 27.12 7.19 116 10 : North East District : Decorah : 83 44 66 -2 0.66 -0.32 20.00 -0.09 113 -6 Dubuque : 82 49 67 2 0.17 -1.00 14.73 -6.77 123 11 Elkader : 82 42 64 -3 0.30 -0.61 18.13 -1.90 97 -40 Independence : 85 49 67 2 0.23 -0.75 23.82 2.37 121 -14 Waterloo : 87 47 67 1 0.02 -0.81 20.96 0.16 122 8 : West Central District : Audubon : 88 44 67 -3 0.00 -0.91 19.74 -0.24 118 -14 Carroll : 90 49 70 3 0.00 -0.85 17.13 -4.06 139 20 Castana : 91 53 72 4 0.00 -0.84 18.69 0.00 155 37 Guthrie Center : 88 45 68 0 0.00 -0.98 25.58 4.82 127 2 Harlan : 90 49 70 2 0.00 -1.02 16.19 -3.61 141 24 Jefferson : 90 51 71 4 0.00 -0.85 15.72 -5.47 147 28 Logan : 91 45 69 1 0.02 -0.83 18.88 -0.43 136 5 Rockwell City : 88 54 69 2 0.00 -0.91 21.98 1.82 135 9 Sioux City : 95 48 73 6 0.00 -0.70 15.75 -0.61 164 36 : Central District : Ames : 86 48 69 3 0.00 -0.91 21.41 -0.70 132 18 Boone : 88 49 70 3 0.00 -0.91 20.12 -1.26 140 18 Des Moines : 90 54 74 5 0.00 -0.91 19.07 -0.91 169 31 Eldora : 86 51 69 3 0.01 -0.85 20.54 -0.83 134 17 Marshalltown : 86 48 68 2 0.00 -1.01 17.69 -3.79 128 15 Newton : 89 56 71 4 0.00 -0.96 22.03 1.80 150 22 Perry : 89 49 70 3 0.00 -0.86 20.58 0.24 138 21 Toledo : 88 50 68 2 0.00 -0.98 17.00 -4.72 131 16 : East Central District : Cedar Rapids : 87 51 69 2 0.00 -0.98 15.95 -4.18 138 15 Davenport : 86 49 70 0 0.00 -0.90 8.44 -11.49 137 1 Iowa City : 91 52 72 3 0.00 -0.98 10.24 -11.91 158 15 Lowden : 87 49 69 2 0.03 -1.02 14.12 -8.18 133 9 Maquoketa : 84 46 67 0 0.00 -1.05 10.14 -10.11 116 2 Muscatine : 88 52 72 3 0.05 -0.86 13.38 -7.32 159 46 : South West District : Clarinda : 87 46 69 1 0.00 -1.05 24.88 2.23 134 4 Glenwood : 91 46 71 2 0.16 -0.76 19.79 -0.82 146 9 Oakland : 90 50 69 3 0.07 -0.89 19.58 -0.49 138 18 Red Oak : 90 49 71 1 0.00 -1.05 17.30 -5.03 147 5 Sidney : 91 57 73 4 0.03 -0.95 18.98 -2.24 163 24 : South Central District : Allerton : 88 55 71 3 0.20 -0.85 19.99 -1.18 151 53 Beaconsfield : 84 56 70 2 0.00 -0.99 23.52 2.98 144 16 Chariton : 88 48 69 2 0.00 -1.09 18.95 -2.58 136 8 Indianola : 89 50 71 4 0.00 -0.91 20.00 -0.60 151 25 Leon : 88 50 69 1 0.00 -1.05 16.68 -4.80 137 6 : South East District : Bloomfield : 90 57 72 3 0.00 -1.10 17.68 -3.87 157 17 Burlington : 89 59 73 5 0.00 -0.95 11.36 -8.66 165 28 Ottumwa : 88 51 71 1 0.00 -0.97 15.27 -4.67 147 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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: USDA-NASS, Iowa Field Office 210 Walnut St., Rm 833 Des Moines, IA 50309 1-800-772-0825 Fax 515-284-4342 nass-ia@nass.usda.gov