More summer like conditions have finally returned to Iowa after a number of weeks of very cool weather. The cool weather has provided a substantial deficit of growing degree days. The featured chart shows the number of days of given weather it would take to catch us back up to average for GDD accumulation since 1 May. The green bars are for a scenario whereby we accumulate 120% GDDs of average each day and under such a scenario we only get back to average by the first of October! The red bars assume daily record GDD accumulations based on long term data and this unrealistic scenario only gets us back to average by the first week of September. This deficit is not a terrible thing as the crop growth situation in the state is very complex at the moment. The cool weather was a good thing given the lack of rain for most of the state as it mitigated water stress. While the weather turning warmer will help GDDs and crop maturity, the lack of moisture will mean water stress should dramatically increase. The further complication is that very little corn was planted by 1 May, with most of it emerging by mid to late May.

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Tags:   gdd