Kentucky experienced near normal temperatures and below normal rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 0.61 inches, 0.38 inches below normal. Temperatures averaged 75 degrees for the week, near normal. Topsoil moisture was rated 39% very short, 45% short, 15% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 29% very short, 48% short, 22% adequate, and 1% surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 6.8 out of a possible seven.
Primary activities this week included planting soybeans, setting tobacco, harvesting wheat, and cutting hay. The majority of the state received another week of very dry weather over the past week with only a small number of counties receiving significant rainfall.
The corn crop is 30% silking. Corn condition continued to deteriorate this week due to the drought conditions. A few producers are concerned they will lose their corn crop if their fields do not receive rain soon.
Soybean condition has also continued to deteriorate because of the very dry conditions. Soybean planting is almost complete with 90% of the crop emerged and 20% blooming. The average height of emerged soybeans was 10 inches.
Tobacco progress remains ahead of average. The average height of tobacco in the field was 17 inches. Tobacco condition has begun to deteriorate due to the dry weather.
Winter wheat harvest is 90% complete, near average.
Pasture and hay conditions are also deteriorating from the drought conditions and yields are suffering.
Categories: Kentucky, Weather