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
•Much like last week, much of the state saw at least 0.5” of rain this week.
•This week also continued the warmer-than-normal temps, averaging 50-62°F.
Impact
•Slight improvements in soil moisture at Wisconet stations that saw the highest amounts of rain the last week; otherwise, slight declines in soil moisture.
•7-day average soil temperatures are 50+°F at all Wisconet stations.
•Widespread improvements in US Drought Monitor for WI.
•Corn, soybean, and oat planting continue to run ahead of the 5-year average pace.
Outlook
•A couple rounds of rain forecasted over the next week.
•Mid to late May has a slight lean toward cooler and wetter than normal.
•The warmer-than-normal conditions have the potential to persist into early summer.
•A transition to La Nina is expected by June.
What does this mean for you? Here are some things to consider for your farm this week:
Planting Considerations
•Soil temperatures are now adequate for planting throughout the state.
•Soil moisture is adequate or even high in most places. Be cautious about planting into muddy conditions, especially with more rain forecasted.
•Cover crop termination:
•If local soil conditions are dry, consider an earlier cover crop termination to reduce evapotranspiration.
•If local soil conditions are wet, consider delaying cover crop termination until crop planting or later to manage excess soil moisture for planting.
Nutrient & Herbicide Applications
•Consider using a preplant nitrate test to assess if there is nitrogen left over from last year due to long-term drought conditions.
•Consider doing tissue testing and pre-sidedress nitrate testing after crop has emerged to assess fertilizer need.
•Early planted corn and soybeans have emerged. Properly staging your crop assists with timing future applications. Growth stage guides available for corn, soybean and wheat at Growing Guides – Integrated Pest and Crop Management – UW–Madison (wisc.edu)
Manure Applications
•Runoff risk is moderate for the weekend across the state. Be mindful of the possibility of runoff and plan manure applications accordingly. Check the DATCP runoff risk advisory forecast here.
Pest Management
•Black cutworm feeding damage is expected to begin this week in Southern Wisconsin, and true armyworms are also still likely. Sign up to receive text alerts when pests are in your region here.
•Alfalfa weevil damage is increasing in the southern part of the state.
Forage Management
•Watch alfalfa for lodging as RFQ values from lab testing are outpacing predictions based on PEAQ readings, favorable conditions have led to a crop that grows quite tall before entering reproductive stages