Crop report: Rain, snow limit work

DES MOINES — Rain, along with snow showers in the Northeast and North Central parts of Iowa, resulted in an average of 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Nov. 24, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Field activities slowed down, with reports of fall tillage and fertilizer and manure applications wrapping up.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 8% very short, 26% short, 64% adequate and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 14% very short, 41% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus.

Corn harvested for grain is virtually complete.

Weather Summary

Provided by Justin Glisan, State Climatologist

The final reporting period of the year was unseasonably warm and wet with above average rainfall over the Western and northern portions of the state.

Stations in the northwest corner registered positive departures of over an inch. Conditions were up to 10 degrees above average in southeastern Iowa with a statewide average temperature of 39.1 degrees, 4.8 degrees above normal.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.20 inch in Fairfield (Jefferson County) to 2.25 inches in Holstein (Ida County).

The weekly statewide average precipitation was 0.84 inch; the normal is 0.43 inch. Numerous stations reported the week’s high temperature of 64 degrees Nov. 18, on average 16 degrees above normal.

Mapleton (Monona County) reported the week’s low temperature of 18 degrees, Nov. 24, three degrees below normal.