May 21, 2020
Issue 6
By Paul Kassel, ISU Field Agronomist

 
 
Change in the weather. The following weather info by Crop Reporting District (CRD) shows the change in the weather since late April. The recent cool weather has slowed crop development and reduced the benefit from the early planting dates.
 
This rainfall data does not reflect the heavy rainfall that recently occurred in parts of Dickinson, Emmet and Kossuth counties.
 
April 20 to May 3
 
CRD    rainfall                         GDDs
            --- inches----
NW     0.4       -1.5                  140      +35
NC      0.2       -1.6                  125      +25
WC      0.3       -1.5                 150      +35
 
May 3 to May 20
 
CRD    rainfall                         GDDs
            --- inches----
NW     2.1      +0.2                 90       -100
NC      2.2        0.0                 100        -80
WC     1.7       -0.4                 105      -100
 
Subsoil moisture . Some areas of northwest iowa have had concerns about subsoil moisture reserves for the 2020 growing season. Subsoil moisture reserves are very good at this time because of fall rainfall amounts. About 80% of fall rainfall contributes to subsoil moisture reserves.
 
This link discusses soil moisture, the water year and the Iowa drought monitor.
 
September 16 to November 18, 2019 rainfall.
 
CRD    rainfall                        
            --- inches----
NW     6.3       +1.9    
NC      9.0       +3.9                
WC      7.3       +2.5    
 
Soil temperatures. This site has info regarding current soil temperatures on a county by county basis.
 

 
 


     
Prepared by:
  Paul Kassel- Extension Field Agronomist

 

Phone:  (712) 262-2264

 
 
 

Serving Clay, Buena Vista, Dickinson, Emmet, Hancock, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac and Winnebago Counties

 

 

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