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
- After setting record lows last week, temps rebounded in a big way with very summer-like conditions taking over in the state. Highs got into the upper 80s and low 90s for some.
- Precip over the past 30 days has been <50% of average for many stations, with some receiving no precip last week.
Impact
•Dry soil moisture percentiles are becoming more common in the state with the lack of rainfall, with D0 coverage on the USDM map increasing by >30% from last week.
- Corn denting is running nearing completion, with maturity reported as 18% complete.
- Soybean pod setting is complete, with leaf drop jumping up to 41% complete. Some soybean harvest is underway.
•GDDs are approaching 3000 (2400) units in the southern (northern) counties.
Outlook
•Highest likelihood for precip this next week in the west and northwest counties.
•Late September has a higher probability to be warmer than normal, with precip chances leaning below to near normal.
•The warmer-than-normal conditions have a higher probability to continue into the fall with a La Niña pattern taking shape. Currently, we are in a neutral phase.
What does this mean for you? Here are some things to consider for your farm this week:
Crop Development
•Be aware of what is going on in corn silage fields, especially related to some tar spot & other disease issues. Even later planted fields seem to be drying down quickly.
•As silage and other early crops come off, consider diverse cover crop mixes to help mitigate any compaction that may have occurred this spring and protect soil heading into fall. Tools available here for cover crop selection and their use in a forage rotation.
Manure Applications
•Low runoff risk in the next week. Check the DATCP runoff risk advisory forecast here.
•As silage comes off, consider the relationship between manure and cover crops, learn more here.
Pest Management
•Fall armyworm flights are underway. Sign up to receive text alerts when pests are in your region 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.
•Southern rust of corn was found in Wisconsin in August, see more info here.
•Late blight was found on tomato in Wisconsin in August, see more info here.
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. More info here.
•Fall alfalfa cutting can affect persistence, read more and use our new tool to make informed decisions.
