Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Minnesota crops holding up pretty good heading into fall season

Sixty-five percent of Minnesota corn crop in good to excellent condition.

Corn in eastern Carver County in August 2022
Corn in eastern Carver County on Aug. 27.
Paul Huttner | MPR News

I have a ton of respect for Minnesota farmers. Putting your living on the line at the whims of our Minnesota weather and climate takes guts and planning. And a little weather luck.

This year started cold and wet. Then summer hit hard, with hotter than average temperatures and rainfall as much as seven inches below average in many locations in June and July. August brought merciful rains, and temperatures close to average.

Overall most Minnesota fields have been able to patch together a pretty good crop according to this week’s Minnesota Crop Report.

Here are some highlights from this week’s update.

  • 65 percent of Minnesota corn is in good (49 percent) to excellent (16 percent) condition.

  • 66 percent of soybeans are in good (53 percent) to excellent (13 percent) condition.

  • 78 percent of sugar beets are in good (22 percent) to excellent (56 percent) condition.

  • 85 percent of Minnesota wheat is in good (79 percent) to excellent (six percent) condition.

Here is some more detail from this week’s report.

Minnesota had 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending August 28, 2022, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Weekend storms caused some damage in Dakota and Ramsey Counties.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 4 percent very short, 18 percent short, 72 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 4 percent very short, 16 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.

Corn in or beyond the dough stage reached 83 percent. Corn dented reached 23 percent, 6 days behind the 5- year average. Corn condition was 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 16 percent excellent.

Soybeans setting pods reached 95 percent. Soybeans coloring reached 11 percent, 4 days behind average. Soybean condition was 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 13 percent excellent.

Dry week ahead

Several locations got significant rainfall last weekend.

72 hour precip
Total precipitation for the past 72 hours
NOAA via pivotal weather

Skies will be mostly sunny and dry across Minnesota this week. NOAA’s 7-day precipitation outlook shows dry conditions from Minnesota westward.

7 day precipitation outlook
7-day precipitation outlook.
NOAA

Highs will be mostly in the 70s to low 80s across central and southern Minnesota this week.