DES MOINES — Iowa farmers had nearly a full week of suitable field conditions October 19-25, 2026, but the corn harvest remained well behind its usual pace, according to the crop report released October 26. Northern Iowa experienced some of the state’s most unusual warmth, with temperatures nearing 15 degrees above normal in parts of the region.
Forty-seven percent of Iowa’s corn had been harvested by October 25, putting progress 20 percentage points behind the five-year average. Soybean harvest was further along at 78% complete, but still six points behind average.
The report counted 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork as mostly dry weather gave farmers an extended opportunity to run combines and complete other fall tasks.
Corn harvest advances but remains behind
The latest figures follow an earlier report showing Iowa’s corn harvest just 26% complete as wet fields slowed progress.
Despite the harvest delay, crop and pasture condition ratings remained largely favorable. Corn was rated 73% good to excellent, while pasture condition stood at 69% good to excellent.
Topsoil moisture was rated 6% short, 81% adequate and 13% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 7% short, 79% adequate and 14% surplus.
Those figures show that most of the state still had adequate soil moisture even during a week with little rainfall.
Naig urges attention to nutrient application timing
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said warm, mostly dry conditions helped farmers make substantial harvest progress. He also urged producers to consider conditions carefully when planning fall nutrient applications.
“Warm, mostly dry weather kept combines rolling and helped farmers make significant harvest progress last week,” Naig said.
With the fall running unusually warm, Naig encouraged farmers to follow “50-and-falling” best practices rather than relying on calendar dates. In the October 26 release, he also pointed to a warmer and wetter pattern expected as Iowa moved into November.
Northern Iowa warmth stands out
State Climatologist Justin Glisan reported a statewide average temperature of 59.7 degrees for the reporting period, 5.4 degrees above normal. Departures were more pronounced across northern Iowa, approaching 15 degrees above normal in some areas.
Afternoon temperatures climbed into the 70s later in the week, with much of Iowa reaching the upper 70s on Friday, October 23.
Sioux City Airport recorded the week’s highest temperature, 81 degrees on October 22 — 22 degrees above normal. Little Sioux in Harrison County recorded the lowest temperature, 27 degrees on October 19, nine degrees below normal.
Rainfall was sparse and largely confined to portions of northwest and southwest Iowa. The statewide weekly precipitation average was just 0.02 inch, compared with a normal of 0.60 inch. Most reporting stations recorded no measurable precipitation.
Light showers reached southwest Iowa late October 21 into October 22, while another round developed along a slow-moving boundary in northwest Iowa late October 23 and continued into October 24.
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service releases Iowa’s crop progress report weekly from April through November, with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship providing the accompanying weather summary.