Southeast Iowa misses out on rainy week

DES MOINES — Southeast Iowa missed out on a rainy week for most of the state as only Mahaska and a sliver of Keokuk County reported over an inch of precipitation while parts of Henry and Lee counties saw less than 0.05, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture precipitation map for the week ending Sept. 24.

“In a much-welcome shift, Iowa stations reported … swaths of two-to-three-inch above-normal totals from southwest to northeast; southeast stations reported deficits above 0.50 inches,” State Climatologist Justin Glisan said in his weekly preliminary weather summary. “Temperatures were also unseasonably warm statewide with the weekly average coming in at 66.4 degrees, 7.2 degrees above normal.”

The USDA’s weekly Iowa Crop Progress & Condition report for the week ending Sept. 24 said 27% of the state’s topsoil and 21% of its subsoil had “adequate” or “surplus” moisture. A table in the report put those numbers at just 16% and 15%, respectively, for the state’s southeast district.

An Iowa Environmental Mesonet data station in Crawfordsville reported a total of 1.88 inches of rain so far this month as of Tuesday afternoon, another in Wellman showed just 0.79.

The U.S. Drought Monitor for the state showed Benton County, Tama County, and the northwest corner of the state entering “exceptional drought” conditions between Sept. 14 and 21, the worst level of drought measured by the service. To the southeast, however, Jefferson, Henry and Washington Counties held an unchanged mix of mostly “severe” drought, with Jefferson’s northwest corner being “extreme” (worse than severe) and Henry’s southeast being “moderate,” (better than severe.)

As for production, 83% of Iowa’s corn crop reached maturity and 75% of its soybeans dropped leaves, both well ahead of the five-year average date according to the Crop Progress & Condition Report. The southeast region is slightly behind on this measure, with 75% of corn reaching maturity and 60% of soybeans dropping leaves.

Statewide corn conditions are up to 50% good or excellent, while soybeans rated 47%. Pasture conditions improved marginally as well, up to 17% good or excellent across the state, but the USDA reported “concerns of hay being in short supply for next year” thanks to its use feeding this summer’s livestock without grass.

Corn harvested for grain reached 9% statewide and 11% in Southeast Iowa, according to the report, which said the soybean harvest had reached 11% across Iowa but just 2% in the southeast region.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com