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The WEATHER GUY....

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loneranger

Well-Known Member
Just got back from my property back to a computer. I am darn glad I got 2 inches of rain Friday. See Fairfield got 3 and Keosaqua got 4! But Burlington got only a quarter of an inch. I believe other spots in Iowa are drying out too. I just got my last rape and radish in before the rain so it should come up good. Yesterday made the third significant cold front to cross Iowa with almost no precip. This trend is becoming a habit . Just like last year in July and up to fair time. Cool temps ,,low humidity repeatedly. Caused by the Heat Dome out west growing bigger and bigger. It did last summer also. When the dome sat more down south weather systems were able to still draw moisture up from the gulf into Neb Kansas and IA. As this dome has advanced north the flow across Iowa is sharper bringing down only dry air from Canada. The moisture and Trough in the atomosphere is now centered east of Iowa. That is where the moisture really starts to flow. as you can see on the radar today. Lots of storms with the front over MI and points east now. Last Summer,,after relatively cool dry July, the heat dome moved from the west, and right over Iowa, for Aug and first of Sept. I remember well. I worked that week, the hottest first week of Sept ever recorded. Pray that doesn't happen again,,but watch for it?
 
Well you may think it is silly, but if you are into the atomosphere, it is interesting.I am sure the crops are in good shape now until harvest. The corn is all tassled and done. The beans should have plenty a moisture ,,possibly some showers when they flower. I have heard some areas are saying it's gettin dry. I hope I am wrong about the heat moving over Iowa. But it sure looks a lot like last summer, just a little later.
 
Well all I know is last Summer was wet thru June in the desMoines-Boone area, then July turned cool with many weather systems cruising thru with little rain. Temps around 80 and lower humidity. Got real dry. Down in Ottumwa land stayed moist until mid July, then the rain stopped. Aug turned HOT- right into first of Sept, and desMoines-Boone area looked like a waste desert.It is a little later this year but cool is the rule and many areas have not had a good rain for 2 to 3 wks. Rainfall is now scattered and isolated, especially the farther west you go. If the Heat west decides to come east and sit on us,,will repeat last Summer. I hope not. But the Big Ridge West and Trough East set up was the way it was for most of 2013, even thru the winter. It is why we had so much cold dumping down. The west had a relatively mild winter under the ridge.
 
SO,,,,if ya got anything ya need doin for the next 10 to 14 days outside, ya got perfect weather. Dry,,,,,,,as far out as the computers can see!!!
 
We haven't gotten anything in almost 3 weeks here in SW Iowa. I got everything disced up today and the plots look great and ready, but starting to get restless with no rain in the forecast! Should I plant my clover and brassicas or just sit on it for another week or so?!?!?
 
You can wait cause little chance for moisture into next week. Past few yrs I have noticed it seems to get slim on rain around the same time,,mid or late July. I got my plots tilled and planted back a couple weeks ago while it was still raining. Last year I waited and it stopped raining and my seed just sat. Coarse I guess is ok for it to sit in the dust and wait. I know the farther west you go the drier it gets. You are closer to that crappy Heat Dome.
 
loneranger said:
You can wait cause little chance for moisture into next week. Past few yrs I have noticed it seems to get slim on rain around the same time,,mid or late July. I got my plots tilled and planted back a couple weeks ago while it was still raining. Last year I waited and it stopped raining and my seed just sat. Coarse I guess is ok for it to sit in the dust and wait. I know the farther west you go the drier it gets. You are closer to that crappy Heat Dome.
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Looks like a real good chance toward the end of next week with these temps hovering in the upper 70's to lower 80's. You should take advantage to what moisture is the soil and get them planted
 
I live near ottumwa and we have had a perfect growing year so far. Last year we got all the rain at once, and it flooded like mad! This year it seemed to rain just when we needed it. We do live in Iowa! If you don't like the weather wait till tomorrow, it will change. This is the mildest summer that I can remember! And the 10 day forecast shows more of the same, with a chance of rain next wed and Thursday.
 
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No kidding! My land is just east of Ottumwa. Been perfect for most of SE Iowa. Around an inch per week, if not more. But like every year other areas have not faired so well. Last Summer we had decent moisture until the second week of July, then it about ended. Last July was cool and dry also. Aug and first of Sept turned Hot. Still same basic pattern right now. Ridge west-Trough East. Every Summer where the Ridge-Heat Dome,,and Trough, sets up,,determines the weather. Hopefully the Ridge will not move to sit over Iowa, like it did last year.
 
Loneranger-I enjoy reading your reports so please keep them up. In college I had a professor that was very obsessed with weather and he taught me a lot on how "it" works.

It's amazing on how much we rely on it. Think about life in rain parched California right now. We are fortunate to live where we do, really!
 
bkcrrtnps said:
Looks like a real good chance toward the end of next week with these temps hovering in the upper 70's to lower 80's. You should take advantage to what moisture is the soil and get them planted
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I could, but my phone just showed chances of 40% on both Wed. and Thurs and 20% on Friday. I was thinking of holding off until Monday and Tuesday to seed. I could put them in tomorrow or Friday of this week too.
 
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