The rain last week certainly slowed planting progress, but farmers were still able to plant 17% of the corn crop and remain ahead of the five-year average with 57% of the state’s 2016 corn crop now in the ground. It will take a few days for many parts of the state to dry back out, but with warmer temperatures and dryer weather which is forecasted, many farmers are hoping to be back planting by the end of this week.

Related: Farmers have 40% of intended corn acres planted (Iowa crop report for week of April 26)

WET WEEK: The past week in Iowa brought more than twice as much rain as any other week thus far in 2016. A statewide average of 2.24 inches of rain fell compared to the weekly normal of 0.97 inches. Rain totals varied from 0.74 inches at Marquette to 4.99 inches at Alta.

That’s according to the weekly statewide survey by USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service for the week ending May 1, 2016. The results were released May 2 by the Iowa office of USDA-NASS in Des Moines. The survey also shows 7% of the state’s soybean intended acres for 2016 have been planted as of the week ending May 1.

Cool, wet weather has slowed crop emergence statewide
The complete weekly Iowa Crop Progress Report is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship’s website at IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at nass.usda.gov/ia. The report summary follows here:

CROP REPORT: Although some fieldwork was done early in the week, as the week progressed rains halted planting across much of Iowa for the week ending May 1, 2016, according to USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service. Statewide there were only 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Cool and wet weather slowed crop emergence, and many reports indicate tile lines have been running steady.

Topsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, 1% short, 74% adequate and 25% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated zero percent very short, 1% short, 84% adequate and 15% surplus. The western third of Iowa reported 20% or more with surplus subsoil moisture.

Iowa now has 57% of its corn acreage planted, 7% of soybeans
Statewide, just 17% of the corn crop was planted during the past week. But with 57% of the crop planted, progress remained one day ahead of last year and eight days ahead of the five-year average. Farmers in north-central and central Iowa have already planted over three-quarters of their corn crop. Looking at soybeans, 7% of the soybean acreage has been planted, five days ahead of the five-year average.

For oats, 96% of the state’s oat crop has been planted, two days ahead of last year and two weeks ahead of normal. Oats emerged reached 68%, four days ahead of the previous year and eight days ahead of the average. The season’s first oat condition rating came in at zero percent very poor, 1% poor, 28% fair, 61% good, and 10% excellent.

The first hay condition rating of the season was zero percent very poor, 1% poor, 29% fair, 59% good and 11% excellent as of May 1 in Iowa. Pasture condition is rated 65% good to excellent, while some reports indicated low-lying pastures were saturated with some flooding. Livestock conditions were reported as “tough with windy, wet, and cool weather leaving feedlots saturated.”

More than twice as much rain as any week so far in 2016

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY—for week ending May 1, 2016
By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

The past week in Iowa brought more than twice as much rain as any other week thus far in 2016. A statewide average of 2.24 inches of rain fell compared to the weekly normal of 0.97 inches. Rain totals varied from 0.74 inches at Marquette to 4.99 inches at Alta. Monday (April 25) and Friday (April 29) were mostly dry while rain was heaviest on Wednesday (April 27) and Saturday (April 30). As was the case the previous week, rains were heaviest over the west one-half of Iowa (2 to 4 inches common) and lowest over the east (mostly in the 1 to 2 inch range).

Not only wetter than normal, but warmer than normal too
Monday (April 25) was the warmest day with high temperatures ranging from the upper 50s northwest to lower 80s southeast. Temperatures on Tuesday were near seasonal with highs mostly in the 60s while unseasonably cool and cloudy weather prevailed for the remainder of the week. Temperature extremes ranged from a Monday (April 25) afternoon high of 85 degrees at Donnellson to morning lows of 36 degrees at Sheldon on Tuesday, Milford on Thursday and also Sibley and Northwood on Friday.

Related: Farmers planted 13% of state's corn last week (Iowa Crop Report for week of April 20)

Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 3.8 degrees below normal. A narrow line of thunderstorms brought hail and high winds to northwest Iowa on Sunday (April 24) evening, roughly between Sioux City and Estherville. Also, four short-lived tornadoes, plus some hail, occurred over southwest Iowa on Wednesday (April 27). These were the only dates in April with severe thunderstorms reported in Iowa. Finally, soil temperatures at the four inch depth were averaging in the mid-40s northwest to just over 50 degrees over the far southeast.