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Goodbye winter, hello spring?
Old man winter seems to just be hanging around, but we have had some glimpses that spring will arrive eventually. We’ve had below normal temperatures (averaged for December, January, and February was...
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March in like a lion and out like a lion...April showers bring May flowers?
March more or less came in and went out like a lion. The below normal temperature trend we experienced in February continued through March, averaging 5.2 F below normal. Western and southern Iowa...
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Weather Conditions and Outlook for #Plant19
The calendar may now say we are in the month of May, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way with the weather and with planting progress across Iowa. Soil temp. Ideally we want soil temps at the 4”...
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Flash Drought and Crop Stress Concerns
The weather forecast for this next week is calling for daytime high temperatures in the 90s and even in the 100s across the state and low nighttime temperatures in the 70s to 80s with little chances of...
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Predicting the First Fall Frost and Freeze Dates?
When will the first hard freeze or killing frost (equal to or less than 28°F) date be this fall? This is a question a lot of folks are wondering about right now. Over the last few decades the trend for...
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US Drought Monitor Update and How it Works
We've gone from being too wet to the other extreme of being dry in parts of the state. Below is a summary of the most recent US Drought Monitor (USDM) map for the state of Iowa and a brief explanation...
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Winter Weather Outlook for 2019-2020
The meteorological winter (December-January-February) temperature and precipitation outlooks were recently released by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC). In winter, the phase of the El Niño...
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Winter and Early Spring Weather Outlook for 2020
Initial February temperature and precipitation outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicate elevated probabilities of colder than average conditions across much of the Midwest, including...
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Spring 2020 Weather Outlooks and Potential Crop Impacts
Spring has sprung! Preparations for planting across the state are in full swing. Conditions over the last 30 days have been unseasonably warm across the Midwest with positive departures of anywhere...
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What is going on with the weather outlooks?
Late last week, Dr. Justin Glisan, State Climatologist of Iowa for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, wrote some really interesting comments about the National Weather Service...
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Winter Weather Outlook and Soil Conditions for 2020-2021
Unlike many recent years, fall has been very dry and soils continue to be dry over much of western Iowa. The conditions have been excellent for harvest and fall fieldwork but troubling for soil...
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Late Winter Weather Outlook and Soil Conditions for 2021
The final February climatological outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) show a strong signal for colder than average temperatures across much of the upper Midwest, including Iowa. On the...
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2021 Spring Weather Outlook for Iowa
The final April climatological outlooks issued by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) show elevated chances of warmer than average temperatures. On the precipitation front, there is no clear signal for...
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November and Winter Weather Oulooks for 2021
The November and the meteorological winter (December-January-February) temperature and precipitation outlooks were recently released by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC). Below is a recap of what...
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Late-Winter and Early Growing Season Climatological Outlooks for 2022
As we move into the final month of meteorological winter, outlooks for February continue to show a classic La Niña (LN) signature across the United States. On the temperature side, above-average...
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Use Caution if Considering Planting Corn or Soybean
Soil temperature is one of the most important factors to guide planting decisions. The rule of thumb is to wait until the upper 4 inches reach at least 50 degrees, with a warming temperature trend in...
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Weather Websites for Crop Producers
It is the time of year when forecasts become a bigger concern for Iowa crop producers. Nearly everyone has their favorite choice for getting their weather information. In this article we will be...
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Effects of the Derecho on Corn in NW Iowa
In the evening hours of July 5, 2022, a derecho moved through South Dakota into northwest Iowa. Gusts in South Dakota were as high as 99 mph with winds that lasted up to 20 minutes. The path of the...
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June and Summer Outlooks for 2023
The final June climatological outlooks from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) issued on May 31st continue to show similar patterns as the initial outlooks from mid-May. On the temperature side,...
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