The local West Southwest region was the warmest region in the state last week, as well as one of the wettest, being one of only two states above par for rain.
Statewide, nearly eighty percent of the week was deemed suitable for fieldwork by the USDA, at five and a half days. The average statewide temperature was 73 and a half degrees, nearly eight and a half degrees above normal. The precipitation average in Illinois reached eight tenths of an inch, slightly more than a quarter of an inch below normal.
State Crop Statistician Mark Schleusener has this update on corn and soybean field statistics.
“Eighty-nine percent of corn acres have emerged, compared to eighty-one percent normally. The condition of the corn declined slightly from last week, and is now three percent very poor to poor, fourteen percent fair, fifty-two percent good and thirty-one percent excellent.
“Soybean planting reached ninety percent finished last week, compared to sixty percent one year ago and sixty-two percent for the five-year average. Seventy-five percent of soybean acres have emerged, compared to thirty-five percent normally. The condition of the soybean crop was rated 2 percent poor, eighteen percent fair, fifty-five percent good and twenty-five percent excellent.”
Across the board, each individual crop statistic is meeting or over their five-year average. Schleusener offers this look at progress and conditions for other crops, like wheat and hay.
“The Illinois wheat crop is now ninety-three percent heading, compared to eighty-nine percent normally. The condition of the winter wheat crop is nearly unchanged from last week, and is now nine percent very poor to poor, twenty-five percent fair, fifty-three percent good and thirteen percent excellent. The first cutting of alfalfa hay is now fifty-six percent complete. Other hay harvest is now forty-six percent finished, and sorghum acres are now fifty percent planted. Pasture conditions were rated six percent very poor to poor, twenty-six percent fair, fifty-five percent good and thirteen percent excellent, slightly worse than one week ago.
Schleusener also provides the ratings for topsoil and subsoil moisture supply across the state.
“Topsoil moisture was rated two percent very short, twenty-five percent short, sixty-nine percent adequate and four percent surplus, which is drier than one week ago. Subsoil moisture also declined, and is now two percent very short, twenty-two percent short, seventy-two percent adequate and four percent surplus.”
In the West Southwest District, the average temperature was measured at 75.7 degrees, which is nine and a half degrees above the recorded average. The local district was one tenth of a degree above the Southeast region, making our local district the warmest in the state for the third full week of May. The West Southwest district also received 1.05 inches of rain, which is exactly on average and only less than the Northeast, who got an inch and a quarter.