View weather and climate conditions this week in Wisconsin
Here are this week’s take home points about the weather, scroll down for the full report:
Current Conditions
- August has been near normal temperatures for the majority of WI.
- Weekly precip totals were 0.5” for most locations in WI, with some scattered pockets of 2” or more.
Impact
•Soil moisture levels remain at ~80% adequate in the state, with no USDM drought categories (D0 is not drought) in the state.
- Corn is at 64% good to excellent, over 90% silking, over 60% doughing, and 16% dented.
- Soybeans are at 62% good to excellent, 95% blooming, and 83% setting pods.
•GDDs are approaching 2400 (1800) units in the southern (northern) counties, running ahead of normal pace in the S & E.
Outlook
•Little chance of rain across WI this next week, with a higher likelihood in the N/NW.
•Temperatures leaning above normal heading into September, with most in the state leaning towards near normal precip.
•The warmer-than-normal conditions have a higher probability to continue through August into early fall with a La Niña pattern taking shape.
What does this mean for you? Here are some things to consider for your farm this week:
Crop Development
•Scouting for crop stage and development of issues is very important this year as the wet spring means that there is a lot of variability in fields and across farms.
•As short season crops come off, consider diverse cover crop mixes to help mitigate any compaction that may have occurred this spring.
Manure Applications
•Low runoff risk in the next week. Check the DATCP runoff risk advisory forecast here.
•After wheat harvest there is an opportunity for manure and cover crops, see info here.
Pest Management
•Fall armyworm flights are underway. Sign up to receive text alerts when pests are in your region here.
•Japanese beetles have emerged, monitor for defoliation thresholds, see here for management information.
•Time to scout for soybean aphid, see more info here.
•Conditions have been right in many places for tar spot and white mold, information available here.
•Scout for corn rootworm beetle to determine pressure on next year’s continuous corn.
Forage Management
•Look out for herbicide carryover, volunteers in late summer seeding of alfalfa after wheat. Read more.
•Corn Silage Harvest – look for local opportunities for stalk chopping to gauge moisture content, scout fields to understand which may be ready first. For varying planting dates, plan for a segregated, longer season harvest to optimize forage quality.
