Crop report: Conditions continue hot and dry

DES MOINES — Iowa continued to experience hot and dry conditions this week, allowing Iowa farmers 6 1/2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sept. 29, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Field activities included harvesting both corn and soybeans.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15% very short, 44% short, 41% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 11% very short, 44% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus.

Corn in the dent stage or beyond reached 97% this week. Corn mature reached 75%, one week behind last year but two days ahead of normal.

Corn harvested for grain reached 11%, three days behind last year but equal to the five-year average. Corn condition remained at 77% good to excellent.

Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 95%. Soybeans dropping leaves reached 80%, two days behind last year but three days ahead of average.

Soybeans harvested reached 27% this week, three days ahead of both last year and the five-year average. Soybean condition rated 77% good to excellent.

Pasture condition continued to deteriorate with 44% rated good to excellent this week. With the continued dry conditions, some producers have had to begin hauling water to cattle.

Weather report provided by Justin Glisan, state climatologist

Conditions remained warmer and drier during the last reporting period of September with the highest temperature departures in northern Iowa.

The statewide average temperature was 63.4 degrees, 4.7 degrees above normal. Rain was sparse across the region with totals below 20% of normal for the week, capping off one of the driest Septembers in 152 years of statewide records.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation across northeastern Iowa to 0.67 inch in Keokuk. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.11 inch; normal is 0.76 inch.

Little Sioux (Harrison County) reported the week’s high temperature of 91 degrees Sept. 28, 18 degrees above normal.

Lake Park (Dickinson County) reported the week’s low temperature of 36 degrees on the 23rd, 12 degrees below normal.