Weekly Weather and Crop Update

One word could describe the weather this last week, WET. We had many reports in our listening area of 4.5 to 5.5 inches on Wednesday. There were even some rain gage reports of up to 7.5 inches! The 5.3 inches received at the Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca was the fourth highest 24 hour rainfall total ever recorded. The 7.27 inches of rain received during the week was 6.36 inches above normal.

Temperatures averaged 69.7 degrees which was 3.1 degrees above normal. Growing degree units totaled 138.5 and that was 18 percent above normal. We have received 2435.5 growing degree units since May 1. That is 10 percent above normal. We normally reach 2435.5 growing degree units on September 24th.

With all the cloudy days solar radiation in the month of August was 12 percent below normal.  However, with the warm temperatures corn and soybeans are moving rapidly toward maturity. An early 95 day corn hybrid was at black layer or physiologically mature. Later season hybrids are 1/3 to 1/2 milk line. With solar radiation being much lower than normal in August and the corn and soybeans racing toward maturity, you have to question if the crop is a big as the USDA is projecting?