Iowa made ‘rapid progress' planting corn, soybeans last week
Iowa farmers have less than 10% of corn acres left to plant, which puts them a whopping 12 days ahead of last year's pace and four days ahead of normal, according to the crop progress and condition report.
The report said farmers made 'rapid progress' during the reporting period which had nearly a full week suitable for field work.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the rain and cooler temperatures forecasted this week might mean fewer days in the field, but could be helpful for young crops.
'We need the moisture across the state, and the widespread rainfall will give the recently planted corn and soybeans a good boost,' Naig said.
According to the crop report, released weekly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, some corn struggled to emerge, due to dry conditions in scattered areas across the state, and had to be replanted.
Overall, 58% of planted corn and 42% of planted soybean acres have emerged. More than 80% of soybean acres across the state have been planted.
Iowa had an average rainfall of less than a tenth of an inch of rain and a statewide average temperature of 65 degrees, which is 4 degrees above normal. The lack of precipitation and high temperatures caused topsoil moisture conditions to drop from 70% adequate the previous week, to 53% adequate for the reporting period of May 12-18. Subsoil moisture conditions also dropped from 67% adequate to 58% adequate in the latest report.
More than 60% of Iowa is in abnormally dry conditions, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, which shows western and southern regions are driest.
Despite the somewhat dry conditions, 63% of pastures rated good or excellent in the state. Hay and oat conditions also rated well for the reporting period with 78% and 86%, respectively, rated good or excellent.
Precipitation outlooks for the state show 1-2 inches of rain anticipated in the next seven days.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
6 days ago
- USA Today
Rare weather phenomenon could dump a month's worth of rain on the Northwest
A rare atmospheric river is unfolding across the Northwest to end the week, with over a month's worth of rain possible in some parts of Oregon and Washington, forecasters said. The rain event should tamp down wildfire danger but will soak anyone camping. The stream of moisture is unusual for the Pacific Northwest at this time of year, which typically experiences drier Augusts. It's forecast to bring 1 to 3 inches of rain to the Cascade Mountains and coastal areas, with varying rain totals elsewhere in both states. 'It's pretty unseasonal – it does happen from time to time but not very often in August,' Tanja Fransen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland, told the Salem Statesman Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. 'We certainly need it.' The rain began the evening of Aug. 14 and is expected to pick up in a second round the evening of Aug. 15 and morning of Aug. 16, before gradually giving way to sunnier skies on Aug. 17. Between 0.5 and 0.75 inches already fell in the last 12 hours with the heaviest amounts along the coast, the weather service in Seattle reported. In western Washington, 1.5 to 2.5 inches is expected in the coming days. "The storm would be considered formidable even during the middle of the wet season in the winter months," AccuWeather reported. Over a month's worth of rain could fall Rainfall totals from this rain event could surpass usual rainfall amounts for the whole month of August in parts of Washington and Oregon in just a few days, AccuWeather reported. Portland, Oregon, gets an average of just over half an inch of rain in August, and Seattle sees about 0.97 of an inch. Totals could be one to two times this amount, according to the outlet. The western slopes of the Olympic and Cascade mountains could see 4 inches of rain in some spots, AccuWeather said. Some of the rain could dip as far south as Northern California. "The rain will ebb and flow, so expect some periods that are heavier rain, then lighter rain, it may totally stop and then start up again," the weather service in Portland said. Rain a much-needed relief for dry Oregon The rain comes just as Oregon's drought has rapidly expanded and wildfire danger reaches its seasonal peak. More than half of Oregon is now classified as being under a moderate drought and most of the Willamette Valley and northwest Oregon is under a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. 'It's going to help with the drought and wildfire danger, but it's also not a 'season-ending' event,' Fransen said. Oregon's weather is expected to heat back up again by next weekend and wildfires will remain possible throughout late August and September. Rain is coming starting after midnight tonight through midnight Sat/Sun am. It can be heavy at times. More details in this thread. (1/x) What is an 'atmospheric river'? On the West Coast, atmospheric rivers approach from the Pacific Ocean, carrying tremendous amounts of water. They occur most often during certain weather patterns, including El Niño, which can increase their frequency or intensity, though they can occur in other years as well. Atmospheric rivers are the largest transport mechanisms of freshwater on Earth, according to NASA. These long, narrow corridors of air heavy with moisture are sometimes called "rivers in the sky." How to prepare for an atmospheric river The weather service in Portland said residents should take these steps to prepare for the heavy rain:
San Francisco Chronicle
09-08-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
California's Gifford Fire is now a ‘megafire.' Here's what that means
The Gifford Fire, burning through the rugged backcountry of California's Central Coast, has grown into the state's largest wildfire of the year and has reached 'megafire' status, federal officials say. Igniting on Aug. 1 along State Route 166, the blaze had scorched more than 104,000 acres as of Saturday morning, with containment at just 21%, according to a federal fire update. Fire officials attribute the explosive growth to extreme heat, steep and inaccessible terrain, and dry vegetation in areas that have no recorded history of wildfire. The fire is now advancing northward into the Garcia Wilderness in Los Padres National Forest, a remote region dense with fire-prone fuel. Thousands of firefighters are battling the blaze, which has already triggered evacuation orders for more than 600 residents in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. An additional 1,500 people remain under evacuation warnings. Once rare, such large-scale fires have become more frequent across the western United States in recent decades, driven in part by climate change and increasingly severe weather patterns. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, megafires are more accurately understood through their intensity, environmental disruption and socioeconomic consequences. 'We have hot weather, and we have low relative humidity,' Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Scott Safechuck said earlier this week. 'So we expect extreme fire behavior.' Three civilians and four firefighters have been injured since the fire began. The cause remains under investigation. Road closures are in place, and the U.S. Forest Service has restricted access to portions of the national forest through February. Local officials are urging residents to stay alert and prepared.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
Iowa crops reported in good condition despite surplus moisture
Corn growing in a western Iowa field in August 2023. (Photo by Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Corn inched ahead of schedule last week with a reported 18% of Iowa corn acres reaching the dough stage, according to the crop progress and condition report. While the heavy rain the past several weeks may have helped crops along, some farmers saw standing water and surplus moisture in their fields. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said July precipitation totals for the state are already above normal levels. According to the state mesonet, parts of the state have had more than 7 inches of rain this month. The average precipitation across the state for the July 14-20 reporting period was 1.88 inches, while normal is 1.02 inches. 'Unfortunately, saturated soils and increased streamflow have led to localized issues with standing water and flash flooding in some areas,' Naig said in a statement. According to the crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, north central Iowa had the wettest soils during the past week. Thirty-five percent of the region's topsoil and 37% of its subsoil moisture rated as surplus. On average, 21% of topsoil and 17% of subsoil moisture conditions across the state were in surplus for the reporting period, and both sub and top soil rated 72% adequate in the state. Aside from the ahead-of-schedule corn that entered the dough stage, Iowa crops were right on schedule for the reporting period. Corn silking reached 62% and corn condition rated 86% good to excellent. Soybeans continued to progress with 69% of the crop blooming across the state and 33% already setting pods. Soybean acres rated 80% good or excellent for the reporting period. Alfalfa hay farmers are slightly ahead of the average cutting schedule, with farmers finished with their second cutting of the crop on 79% of acres, and finished with a third cutting on 17% of hay acres. Thirty-five of Iowa's oat acres have been harvested, and farmers in southern regions of the state have harvested more than half of their oats. Oats rated 68% good and 16% excellent for the period. 'While overall crop progress has benefited from the wetter conditions and somewhat milder temperatures, attention is now turning to the heat dome building in over the state, which will bring hot temperatures and humidity this week,' Naig said. Temperature outlooks from the National Weather Service show highs in the low 90s and upper 80s across the state for the rest of the week. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Solve the daily Crossword
