Warm Temps, Dry Conditions Dominate NE December Weather

Agricultural Summary: 
For the month of December 2011, weather conditions were relatively mild and dry compared to the  same month  last year, according  to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.   High temperatures reached the upper 60’s and lows fell to -16 degrees.  Snow that had fallen during the month melted with the above normal temperatures allowing cattle producers to make good use of stalks.  As a result, feed usage was not heavy and feed supplies were more than adequate with cattle in good condition.  The southeast corner of the state received well above normal precipitation while most of  the west was well below normal.   Field work  continued with  the warm, dry weather and wheat conditions were well above year ago levels.  

Weather Summary: 
The majority of the state saw temperatures average 2 to 6 degrees above normal.  During the last week of the month, topsoil temperatures ranged from 30 to 35 degrees and in general got warmer as you moved from west to east.  The southeast corner of the state received from 1 to 3 inches of precipitation, while much of the west and north received a half inch or less.   

Field Crops Report:  
Wheat conditions statewide rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 25 fair, 70 good, and 4 excellent, well above last year when 42 percent of the crop rated good or excellent.  Hay and forage supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 94 adequate, and 2 excellent, near a year ago.
 
Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report:  
Cattle and Calves condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 7 fair, 85 good, and 8 excellent, above last year’s 87 percent good or excellent. 

County Reports:
BOONE: Good weather through the end of the year has been great for livestock. It is dry though and we could use some moisture. 
DIXON: Mild weather continues to make outside work possible with a lot of fencing and earthwork continuing through December. A great deal of field work being done in preparation for spring planting. 
KNOX: Cattle have gotten excellent utilization of stalks. Minimal winter feed has been used thus far. Small showers have been welcome. We probably would have 6 inches of snow cover if this would have been received as snow instead. Marketing of grain has been the primary activity. 
MADISON: Very dry conditions. Last significant moisture was 3-5 inches of snow in early December. Entire fall saw very limited moisture, setting up to be a large moisture deficit going into spring. Soil has limited frost. Any liquid moisture would be absorbed.  Cattle are making good use of stalks. Large amount of stalks baled up.
DODGE: Cattle continue to graze stalks. Below normal snow and warm weather has helped with not having to feed hay yet.
OTOE: Conditions are very dry and mild for this time of year. Producers along the Missouri River are trying to get their cropland cleaned up.



Iowa Mostly Snow-free in December

Most of Iowa had no need for a snow shovel in December as the State experienced above normal temperatures and below normal snowfall.    Tile  work  as  well  as  some  fertilizer  application continued throughout the month.

Most of December’s precipitation  came  in  the  form of  rainfall.  As  the  month  came  to  a  close,  topsoil  moisture  levels  rated 24 percent very short, 31 percent short, 44 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.  The driest area of the State was the northwest corner with 63 percent very short.

Grain  movement  rated  42 percent  none,  40 percent  light, 16 percent  moderate  and  2 percent  heavy  with  producers primarily moving grain to fulfill contracts.  

Availability of hay and roughage supplies was 23 percent short, 70 percent  adequate  and 7 percent  surplus with only 11 percent of  the  supply  in poor condition.   Warm weather coupled with a lack of  snow has  reduced  forage needs as cattle do not need  to consume  as  much  feed  to  stay  warm  and  continue  to  gain weight.    Few  reports  of  livestock  health  issues  have  been received although pneumonia in cattle has been mentioned.  Hog and  pig  losses  in  December  were  51 percent  light,  49 percent average and 0 percent heavy.  Cattle and calf losses were similar with 58 percent light, 42 percent average and 0 percent heavy.


IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist

General  Summary: 
December  temperatures  averaged 29.8 degrees  or  6.9  degrees  above  normal  while  precipitation totaled 2.14 inches or 0.80 inches above normal.   This  ranks as the 19th warmest and 13th wettest December among 139 years of records.  This December seemed particularly mild in comparison to  the  previous  four Decembers which were  all  unusually  cold and snowy.  The last warmer and less snowy December came in 2006.

Temperatures. 
Early December weather was mostly on the cold side  of  normal with  temperatures  over  the  first  ten  days  of  the month averaging 3.3 degrees below normal.   The  season’s  first subzero temperature was reported at Battle Creek and Sibley on the morning  of December  2 with  -1  degree  readings.   Subzero temperatures were  also  recorded  somewhere  in  the  state on  the 5th,  6th,  7th,  9th  and  10th  with  Sheldon  the  cold    spot  with  a temperature  of  -19 degrees  on  the  6th.      An  earlier  -19  degree temperature has not been seen in Iowa since 1991.  However, the early cold was not to last as all of the final 21 days of the month averaged  warmer  than  normal  and  there  were  no  subzero temperatures  for  the  rest  of December.    Temperatures  reached into  the 50s on  ten days between  the 14th and 31st with Lamoni and Leon soaring to 62 degrees on New Year’s Eve.

Heating  Degree  Day  Totals.   
Home  heating  requirements,  as estimated by heating degree day totals, averaged 17 percent less than  normal  and  24 percent  less  than  last  year.    Thus  far  this season  (since  July  1)  totals  are  running  14 percent  less  than normal and 11 percent less than last season.

Precipitation.   
Precipitation  totals  were  well  above  normal  for much  of  Iowa  during  December  thanks  largely  to  three  large storm  systems.    The  first  event  on  the  3rd  brought  a  statewide average  of  1.5 inches  of  snow  and  0.97 inch  of  precipitation.  Snowfall  amounts  of  3  to  6 inches  were  common  over  the northwest one-third of  the  state while portions of  south  central Iowa saw nearly two inches of rain.  The next event brought rain statewide on the 13th-14th with an average of 0.76 inch.  Heaviest rains with  the  second storm were over portions of  the  southeast where more than two inches fell.  The final event on the 29th-30th brought  an  average  of  0.32 inch  of  rain  with  the  greatest amounts  over  northern  Iowa.    Winter  made  a  very  brief appearance  late  on New Year’s Eve with  one  to  two inches  of snow, along with some freezing drizzle, falling over a small area of northern  Iowa  accompanied by wind gusts of 40  to 50 mph.  Monthly precipitation totals varied from 0.69 inch near Lester in Lyon  County  to  3.93 inches  at Mount  Pleasant  while  snowfall totals  varied  from  only  trace  amounts  (less  than  one-tenth  of an inch)  at  some  central  Iowa  locations  such  as Ames, Grundy Center and Toledo to 11.3 inches at Little Sioux.