Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending June 14, 2015.
Agricultural News: Kentucky experienced above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 0.69 inches, 0.35 inches below normal. Temperatures averaged 77 degrees for the week, 5 degrees above normal. Topsoil moisture was rated 3 percent very short, 18 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 2 percent very short, 16 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5.8 out of a possible seven.
Primary activities this week included planting soybeans and tobacco. Producers continued side dressing corn and spraying post herbicide applications. Planting progress was hampered early in the week in some areas due to showers, but other locations remain dry and need rain. Soil compaction due to planting corn in wet field conditions is a concern for some producers. The average height of emerged corn was 23 inches, compared to 14 inches last week, with seventy-nine percent rated as good to excellent.
Most full season soybeans are planted and double crop plantings will begin as soon as winter wheat is harvested. Winter wheat grain harvest is expected to begin in earnest within the next 1-2 weeks, depending on location. First cutting hay still being made, while some farmers were harvesting their second cutting of alfalfa. The average height of tobacco in the field was 9 inches, compared to 4 inches last week.
Climate Summary
Above Normal Temperatures and Below Normal Rainfall:
The Bluegrass State got an early taste of summer this past week as heat and humidity were both on the rise. An upper level ridge of high pressure began to build into the region over the second half of the work week and remained through the weekend. Highs pushed into the mid-80s to low 90s on a daily basis. By the weekend, dew points were in the upper 60s to low 70s, making for a very humid air mass.
The combination of high heat and humidity pushed the livestock heat stress index into the danger category each afternoon and early evening. In addition, other than a couple waves of rainfall on Monday, the ridge kept precipitation limited. Coverage remained isolated to scattered each day, leading to a fourth straight week of below normal rainfall.
Going a step further, the state has seen below average precipitation seven of the past eight weeks.
Temperatures for the period averaged 77 degrees across the state which was 5 degrees warmer than normal and 10 degrees warmer than the previous period. High temperatures averaged from 88 in the West to 86 in the East. Departure from normal high temperatures ranged from 3 degrees warmer than normal in the West to 4 degrees warmer than normal in the East.
Low temperatures averaged from 69 degrees in the West to 65 degrees in the East. Departure from normal low temperature ranged from 7 degrees warmer than normal in the West to 7 degrees warmer than normal in the East. The extreme high temperature for the period was 95 degrees at CAPE GIRARDEAU ASOS and the extreme low was 56 degrees at BRANDENBURG 4SW.
Precipitation (liq. equ.) for the period totaled 0.69 inches statewide which was 0.35 inches below normal and 67% of normal. Precipitation totals by climate division, West 0.79 inches, Central 0.72 inches, Bluegrass 0.51 inches and East 0.72 inches, which was 0.19, 0.33, 0.55 and 0.34 inches below normal. By station, precipitation totals ranged from a low of 0.05 inches at HICKMAN 2E to a high of 2.15 inches at HARRODSBURG 3N.
