High levels of precipitation statewide gave producers less time in their fields last week. The USDA deemed less than 70% of last week suitable for fieldwork, at 4.7 days.
Statewide, the overall average temperature was 71.6 degrees, down nearly 2 degrees from the recorded average of 73 and a half. The state got 1.78 inches of precipitation last week, when Illinois typically sees only 7 tenths of an inch of rain in the 35th week of the year.
CORN:
Dough stage: 97 percent finished; 1 year ago: 94%; 5 year avg. – 92%
Dented: 80 percent finished; 1 year ago: 52%; 5 year avg. – 53%
Mature: 11 percent finished; 1 year ago: 2%; 5 year avg. – 4%
Conditions: 5% very poor to poor, 19% fair, 47% good, 29% excellent
SOYBEANS:
Turning color: 16 percent finished; 1 year ago: 7%; 5 year avg. – 5%
Conditions: 4% very poor to poor, 21% fair, 48% good, 27% excellent
Schleusener details the stats for alfalfa hay, sorghum acres and pasture conditions.
ALFALFA HAY: 84 percent finished; 1 year ago: 91%; 5 year avg. – 77%
SORGHUM ACRES:
Heading: 91 percent finished; 1 year ago: 94%; 5 year avg. – 89%
Turning Color: 71 percent finished; 1 year ago: 71%; 5 year avg. – 64%
Mature: 29 percent finished; 1 year ago: 23%; 5 year avg. – 8%
Conditions: 1% poor, 24% fair, 60% good, 15% excellent
PASTURE CONDITIONS: 19% very short to short, 33% fair, and 48% good to excellent.
Last week, the local West Southwest district was both the warmest district, by one tenth of a degree, and the wettest district by over half of an inch of rainfall. The local district’s average temperature was 72.8 degrees when the district typically sees an average of 74 and a half degrees in the 35th week of the year. The district’s average rainfall was measured at 2.84 inches. That measurement is two and a quarter inches above normal precipitation totals.
The USDA has calculated that the local West Southwest District is currently sitting at 2,855 growing degree days, 125 above the statewide average of 2,730.