Severe weather in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska causes damage, but rain vital for dry soil

The last two weeks in Iowa have been filled with desperately needed rain. The state has been in a three-year extended drought, the longest since the mid- to late 1950s, according to Iowa State Climatologist Justin Glisan. Rain showers, thunderstorms, and tornadoes caused damage and debris in southwestern Iowa on Friday and Saturday, particularly in the town of Minden, Iowa, and in West and East Pottawattamie Counties. More severe weather is expected this week throughout the state. 

However, the severe storms and rainfall have not slowed corn planting progress. In its most recent Crop Progress Report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Iowa’s progress tripled from 13% on April 21 to 39% on April 28, which is 11% ahead of the five-year state average.

“That moisture is soaking in, and we’re not seeing particularly muddy conditions, so planters are getting back out in the field faster, given how dry we are,” Glisan said. “After this week, it might be a different story.”

Planting not halted from storms in Iowa; debris and damage main priorities

Aaron Saeugling, Iowa State Extension agronomist for southwest Iowa, went out on Monday and surveyed some of the damage caused by the weekend’s storms. He said that this early in the growing season, there was not much visible damage to crops — as most fields are just getting corn in the ground. 

The biggest concern in the area is personal home damage and other tornado debris. 

“If you drive in the country, there’s some farms that really took a hit,” Saeugling said. “There’s just debris everywhere.”

He said there were some producers in the area who would be delayed because of damage to equipment and are being forced to fix planters before getting in the field.

Jesse Grote, a Syngenta agronomist in Iowa, said there is some concern that farmers were unable to apply pre-emergence residual herbicide because of the heavy rains and storms of the past two weeks. He added that the rain received might not enough be to carry the area through the growing season, but said it “Will definitely help get us off to a good start and go a long ways towards recharging our entire soil moisture profile.”

“The rain has been a big help to our top soil by giving us better seedbeds and soil moisture to plant in to compared to the last three years,” Grote said. “Additionally, it will increase the activity of all the beneficial microorganisms that reside in the topsoil.”

Heavy rain in Nebraska slows planting; rainfall a ‘godsend’

Travis Gustafson, a Syngenta agronomist based in Nebraska, said the state’s reaction to the storms was slightly different then Iowa’s in part due to the heavy rainfall received.

He added that the coming week’s planting numbers would likely suffer in the next Crop Progress report.

“The real story from last week’s severe weather in Nebraska was the rainfall. Some parts of the state got up to 4 inches of rain in a 2 hour time frame,” Gustafson said. “Prior to the storms, planting progress varied across the state with a lot of progress having been made near the Kansas border and less progress as you move north to the central parts of the state. 

“I don’t expect much planting progress to take place for the next crop progress report in Nebraska.”

As of April 28, Nebraska is 22% complete with corn planting, slightly behind its five-year average of 23%.

Gustafson added that the heavy rainfall was a ‘godsend’ for the state’s drought-stricken soil, with rain soaking into the top foot of topsoil. He felt the rain from the weekend could get the state's driest areas through May even if rainfall isn’t consistent throughout the month.

“The big question will be whether we can wrap up planting in a timely manner,” Gustafson said.

Surprisingly wet March and April lead to quick planting progress in Iowa

Glisan said he was surprised with the latest Crop Progress report numbers for Iowa, pointing out the state’s report of 4.2 workable field days throughout the week. 

With the extended drought lessening and the state gathering 130% of its average rainfall in March and April, Iowa is ahead of its average precipitation early in the growing season for the first time since the extended drought began.

Outlook for next 30 to 60 days

In years where there has been a rapid transition between an El Niño and La Niña weather pattern, Glisan said the months of April, May, and June have skewed near-normal or wetter than the average. Those characteristics were already present in Iowa’s April rainfall, he added, and the moisture could be very important over the course of the growing season.

“Any moisture that we can bank now gives us a reserve if we do get into drier conditions and then we get those timely rainfalls that can hold us on as vegetative demand increases through the warmer part of the year,” Glisan said. 

Glisan said what the state is seeing in terms of rain is what Iowa needs to get out of long-term drought. 

He added that the timing of these severe storms is better than in past years, when derechos and storms in the summer have impacted corn and soybeans.

With the big leap in planting at the end of April, Glisan said he is hoping the rest of the planting season goes quickly and allows farmers to take advantage of what could be a wet May. 

“What we’re seeing now is what we need, so I’d like to see this behavior continue,” Glisan said. “Maybe get a nice window in which everyone can get planted and then turn the faucet on, but we’re heading in the right direction.”