Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

April 6 - 12, 2026

DES MOINES, Iowa (Apr. 13, 2026) - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

"April has been a particularly wet month as the Midwest remains locked into an active storm track. We expect the wet weather to continue over the next several days. I encourage Iowans to stay weather aware this week, as multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms are possible," said Secretary Naig. "Though the rain may slow fieldwork, it is helping recharge soil moisture. We have seen substantial improvement in drought conditions in southern Iowa."

The weekly report is also available on the USDA's website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report

Corn planting in Iowa reached 1 percent complete for the week ending April 12, 2026, which is 1 percentage point behind last year, when 2 percent of the crop had been planted. No soybean planting has been reported, which is 1 percentage point behind 2025, when 1% of the crop had been planted. There were 2.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 12, 2026. This is 3.3 days less than last year, when there were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture conditions across Iowa were rated 3 percent very short, 11 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus.

Weather Summary

Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Much of southern Iowa received above average rainfall during the first full week of April as several waves of showers and thunderstorms transited the state. Drier conditions prevailed across Iowa's northwest corner. Temperatures were near to slightly below average at most stations; the statewide average temperature was 45.0 degrees, 1.3 degrees below normal.

Sunday (5th) afternoon was pleasant with mostly sunny skies, westerly winds and temperatures in the 50s. Clouds overspread much of southern Iowa into Monday (6th) with morning temperatures holding in the upper 30s and low 40s. Clear skies farther north allowed temperatures to drop to near freezing. Gusty northerly winds built in through the day with highs in the low 40s northwest to mid 50s southeast. Showers streamed across southwestern Iowa later in the evening and overnight into Tuesday (7th) bringing localized higher amounts into the early afternoon; Corning (Adams County) collected 1.01 inches while 1.36 inches was reported in Creston (Union County). Several peripheral stations observed more than 0.50 inch with totals dropping off northeast and southwest. Conditions remained overcast across the state with temperatures holding in the 40s under blustery southeasterly winds. Skies cleared by daybreak on Wednesday (8th) as a low pressure center moved along the Iowa-Minnesota border. Wind speeds increased significantly during the day with 52 mph wind gusts reported at municipal airports in Ames (Story County) and Marshalltown (Marshall County). Overall sustained winds were above 30 mph at most stations as a cold front dropped through the state. Light showers formed along the surface boundary with much of eastern Iowa registering up to 0.10 inch.

Thursday (9th) began chilly over northern Iowa with lows in the upper 20s and low 30s. Morning conditions were over 20 degrees warmer in the southeast. Light to moderate showers formed over southern Iowa as a warm front lifted across the Iowa-Missouri border. The front transitioned to a stationary boundary as an upper-level disturbance and ample moisture allowed for moderate to locally heavy rainfall into the evening hours from isolated, embedded thunderstorms. Much of the state's southern half reported at least 0.75 inch of rainfall with nearly 120 stations registering at least an inch. The highest totals were found in central Iowa with 1.52 -1.64 inches at several Des Moines (Polk County) gauges to 1.78 inches in Dallas Center (Dallas County); the statewide average rainfall was 0.71 inch. Winds turned northerly behind the system as clouds cleared into early Friday (10th) afternoon. Daytime temperatures rose into the 50s as winds gradually shifted to easterly with increasing clouds in western Iowa towards sunset. Another disturbance brought showers into western Iowa after midnight, which were reinforced by a northeasterly moving warm front. The area of showers spread and increased as it moved through southern Iowa with additional development into northern Iowa. Most stations that received measurable amounts observed under 0.40 inch. Higher rain amounts varied from 0.50 inch in Melrose (Appanoose County) to 0.78 inch in Lineville (Decatur County). Portions of northeast Iowa also saw totals over 0.50 inch with 0.54 inch in Decorah (Winneshiek County) to 0.61 inch in Elma (Howard County). Rain cleared the state by nighttime with strong southerly winds and partly cloudy skies on Sunday (12th) morning.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.04 inch at Sioux City Airport (Woodbury County) to 2.30 inches in Creston. The statewide weekly average rainfall was 0.87 inch; the normal is 0.77 inch. Davenport (Scott County) reported the week's high temperature of 77 degrees on the 8th, 20 degrees above normal. Several stations reported the week's low temperature of 16 degrees on the 7th, on average 15 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures on Sunday were in the low to mid 50s statewide.