Cold weather limits field work

DES MOINES – Another week of colder than normal temperatures with rain and snow left Iowa farmers with 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 7, according to the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Minimal fieldwork was done during the week, but some producers were able to apply anhydrous, manure, and dry fertilizer. High winds prevented producers from spraying fertilizer towards the end of the week.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 14% very short, 35% short, 47% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 26% very short, 38% short, 34% adequate and 2% surplus.

Oats seeding reached 32% complete, six days ahead of last year and one week ahead of the 5-year average. Oats emerged reached 4% complete.

There were no reports of cattle turned out onto pasture yet as pastures continue to green up. Calving was in full swing with reports of mud in some areas.

Weather summary

According to a weather summary provided by Justin Glisan, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, April began unseasonably cool with several windy days across Iowa.

Temperatures were near normal in western Iowa and four degrees below average in the east; Iowa’s average temperature was 42.1 degrees, 1.8 degrees below normal.

Eastern Iowa experienced above-average precipitation in the range of 125 to 400% of normal, while the southwest corner was unseasonably dry.

Thunderstorms began firing into the afternoon hours of March 31 over southeast Iowa with some becoming severe-warned; there were a handful of 1-inch hail reports in Lee and Van Buren Counties.

Heavier rain was also reported in these storms with several stations collecting more than an inch of moisture; Fairfield (Jefferson County) measured 1.02 inches while Moulton (Davis County) observed 1.62 inches.

Lighter showers formed over northern Iowa into April 1, with additional storms forming to the southeast. There was a wide range of afternoon highs with upper 30s north to the mid to upper 50s south along with fog and mist.

Rain totals reported April 2 indicated that most stations accumulated at least 0.20 inch with nearly 100 southeastern stations collecting 0.50 inch or more; several Bloomfield (Davis County) gauges had totals ranging from 0.98 inch to 2.70 inches with a statewide average of 0.43 inch.

Temperatures remained in the low 30s farther east as snow showers wrapped in behind the low-pressure center. Snow accumulated at 130 stations with totals ranging from 0.1 inch in Clive (Polk County) to 5.7 inches in Dubuque (Dubuque County).

Spotty rain and snow showers continued April 3 with sustained winds in the 20-40 mph range.

Precipitation gradually pushed out of eastern Iowa into the evening hours with Bellevue Lock and Dam (Jackson County) collecting 3.0 inches of snow.

Overnight lows into April 4 dropped into the upper 20s and low 30s in western Iowa under clear skies. Persistent cloud cover in eastern Iowa held temperatures in the mid 30s.

Overcast conditions remained through the day across Iowa’s eastern half with mid to upper 40s and gusty northerly winds; conditions were clear and up to 10 degrees warmer farther west.

Gusty southeasterly winds returned April 6 as a strong low-pressure center approached from the west. Daytime temperatures were the warmest of the week with some stations in the upper 60s while widespread upper 50s and low 60s were reported.

A thin line of thundershowers formed in the evening hours in west-central Iowa followed by a broader swath of showers overnight into April 7.