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
- Last week was a warmer-than-normal week across the entire state by 4F or more, continuing what has been a relatively warm September.
- Several inches of rain fell across portions of SW and SC counties last week, helping replenish soils in areas currently in D0 or D1 on the USDM.
Impact
•Dry soil moisture percentiles are common in parts of the state, but wet percentiles made a return to areas that saw higher rainfall.
•D1 conditions are now in place over southern and northern WI on the latest USDM map.
- Corn maturity is reported as 39% complete, with harvest now at 2% complete.
- Soybean leaf drop jumped up to 65% complete , with harvest now at 9% complete.
•GDDs are approaching 3000 (2400) units in the southern (northern) counties.
Outlook
•Precip chances for most this next week, but totals are forecasted to be low. Outlooks leaning below normal for early October precip.
•Early October has a higher probability to be warmer than normal, with uncertainty for the rest of the month (equal chances).
•The remainder of fall is more uncertain for temperatures, with some lean towards above normal precip totals.
•La Niña is favored to be in place by September-November (according to the CPC)
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.
•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.
