tamatoledonews.com – USDA – National Agricultural Statistical Service – Iowa Field Office

In Cooperation with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

During the month of January Iowa received more snow, cold

temperatures, and ice which caused problems for everyone. The snow

and ice storms brought power outages and road closures lasting several

days. The winter weather slowed the progress of grain movement and

the harvest of corn still standing in fields. The extreme temperatures

caused stress levels for livestock to increase along with their need for

feed and hay. Chopping ice to keep water available for livestock and

removing heavy snow off barn roofs continue to keep producers busy as

January comes to a close.

The average depth of snow cover for the month of January was

12 inches, above last year’s average of 9 inches. Frost penetration

averaged 10 inches compared to last year’s 19 inches. Soil moisture

availability rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 74 percent

adequate, and 25 percent surplus. Grain movement for the state was

31 percent none, 48 percent light, 19 percent moderate, and 2 percent

heavy.

Availability of hay and roughage supplies was 19 percent short,

76 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Quality of hay and roughage

supplies was 10 percent poor, 55 percent fair, and 35 percent good.

Utilization of stubble fields for grazing rated 57 percent none, 33 percent

light, 9 percent moderate, and 1 percent heavy.

Hog and pig losses in January were 6 percent below average, 88 percent

average, and 6 percent above average. Cattle and calf losses were

4 percent below average, 87 percent average, and 9 percent above

average.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY

Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist

Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

General Summary. Temperatures averaged 13.7 degrees or 4.1 degrees

below normal while precipitation totaled 1.33 inches or 0.38 inches

above normal. This ranks as the 33rd coldest and 37th wettest January

among 138 years of records.

Temperatures. The new year began with exceptionally cold weather.

Temperatures averaged 16.0 degrees below normal over the first 12 days

of the month. At Spencer Airport the temperature fell to -37 degrees on

the morning of the 2nd while wind chill readings dropped to -53 degrees

at Estherville. The Spencer temperature extreme was exceeded just a

year ago when Coggon reported -40 degrees on January 16. However,

the Estherville wind chill reading was the lowest recorded in Iowa since

February 1, 1996. After the very cold start to the month, the statewide

average temperature was above normal every day from the 13th through

the 25th, averaging 9.7 degrees above normal for this 13 day period.

Highest temperatures were 45 degrees readings recorded at Ankeny,

Donnellson, Keosauqua and Leon on the 13th and again at Burlington,

Shenandoah and Sidney on the 23rd. A lower statewide calendar month

maximum temperature has been recorded only twice in the past

138 years (40 degrees maximum in both January 1979 and December

1983). Colder weather returned with temperatures averaging below

normal on each of the last six days of the month with Spencer and

Sheldon recording lows of -17 degrees on the morning of the 29th.

Heating Degree Days. Home heating requirements, as estimated by

heating degree day totals, averaged 9 percent more than normal, but

1 percent less than last January. Degree day totals thus far this heating

season are running 2 percent more than normal and 2 percent less than

last season at this time.

Precipitation. January brought only near normal snowfall totals, but

much of it came from only two strong storms. The first event on the 6th-

7th brought a statewide average of 5.1 inches of snow and was

accompanied by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph. Greatest snow fell from

northwest, through central, into east central Iowa where up to 8 inches

accumulated, while the highest winds were over the northwest. The

second storm brought a statewide average of only 2.1 inches of snow.

However, the storm was accompanied by widespread wind gusts over 40

mph with Sioux City reporting winds to 55 mph. Meanwhile another

storm brought freezing rain to nearly all of Iowa on the 20th. Rain

amounts exceeded an inch over parts of far southeastern Iowa but the

worst icing conditions were over west central and central parts of the

state where lower temperatures allowed an icy glaze of about one-half

inch thick. The ice, along with wind gusts over 35 mph, brought down

many tree limbs and power lines. Another storm on the 23rd/24th brought

an average of nearly one-half inch of rain to the state with greatest

amounts exceeding an inch over some far eastern Iowa locations.

Fortunately temperatures were mostly above freezing with this storm.

However, these two rain events created a very icy crust on the

considerable snowcover that remained over the northwestern two-thirds

of Iowa. This icy surface may have enhanced the blowing snow

conditions of the storm that came on the 24th-25th. This again resulted in

blizzard conditions over most of northern and central Iowa. There was a

statewide average of 7.7 inches of snowfall during January. This total is

0.5 inches less than normal, yet ranks 48th greatest January total among

123 years of records. Thanks to the near-record December 2009

snowfall, the season-to-date statewide average snowfall amount stands at

31.6 inches or 12.2 inches above normal for the fourth highest total of

record at this point in the season.

Outlook. El Niño typically brings Iowa milder than normal mid-winter

temperatures; however, such conditions have yet to materialize this

winter. Snow cover remains over all but far southeastern Iowa and is

substantial over about the northwestern one-half of the state. Although

only temporary, a large area of snow and ice extends across the southern

plains states through the mid-Mississippi valley thanks to the passage of

a major winter storm in late January. The snow cover will slow the rate

of warming across Iowa but does not guarantee a continuation of a colder

than normal weather pattern. A growing worry is the extensive

moisture-rich snow pack across Iowa. The amount of water stored in the

snowpack varies from 2 to 4 inches over most of the northwest one-half

of the state. River levels are at near-record levels for this time of year

over most of Iowa. Soil moisture levels are also above normal statewide,

with the wettest conditions over the east central and southeast districts.

All of these factors increase the odds of substantial flooding this spring.

The one bit of good news is that frost depths are unusually shallow

(thanks to heavy snow coming prior to the arrival of very cold weather),

thus some of the snow water may be able to percolate into the soil. The

later the snow cover remains into the spring the greater the odds of

flooding. This is because the odds of a major warm-up increase as the

days grow longer, thus melting the snow more rapidly. Also, the

probability of receiving substantial rainfall increases as we pass later in

the spring, enhancing the chances of substantial rainfall coinciding with

the snow melt.