The Henry County Conservation Board will hold their July 2022 Board meeting on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 5:30 pm in the conservation
board meeting room at the office in Oakland Mills. Items on the agenda will include: Nature Center Pond Reconstruction, Future Facility Upgrades, Director Update, and Naturalist Reports. Please contact the conservation department if you have any questions, 319-986-5067.

Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

A shift in the weather pattern brought a more active storm track to the Midwest along with a derecho that blew through northern Iowa. The squall line left behind pockets of damaged corn and soybeans along with heavy rainfall. Many of the state’s reporting stations observed above-average rainfall with positive departures of over four inches in northern and eastern Iowa. Conditions were also unseasonably warm with a statewide average temperature of 76.5 degrees, 2.1 degrees above normal.

Scattered cumulus clouds began forming across Iowa’s western half through Sunday (3rd) afternoon as highs climbed into the mid to upper 80s. Southerly winds persisted overnight as a warm front pushed west to east over Iowa, firing a wide shield of showers and thunderstorms into Monday (4th) morning. The disturbance continued through Iowa before exiting the eastern border during the early afternoon hours. Measurable rain fell across Iowa’s northern three-quarters with over 50 stations measuring at least an inch of rain. Several stations also reported more than two inches with 2.91 inches observed at Decorah Municipal Airport (Winneshiek County); the statewide average rainfall for the event was 0.74 inch. Clouds cleared as muggy conditions continued through Independence Day fireworks with high temperatures rocketing into the upper 90s south while mid 80s were reported north. Tuesday (5th) was an eventful day across the Upper Midwest as a derecho propagated over 600 miles from northwest South Dakota through northern Iowa before dissipating in Illinois. Sustained wind speeds along the derecho’s path approached 40 mph with wind gusts over 60 mph; a personal weather station near Hartley (O’Brien County) clocked a 79 mph gust. A spin-up tornado was also reported near Estherville (Emmet County). A secondary system brought additional rainfall across southern Iowa through Wednesday (6th) afternoon with storm refiring after sunset. The heaviest rain fell over the Iowa-Missouri border with many stations measuring over 0.30 inches; Clarinda (page County) reported 2.00 inches.

Thursday (7th) saw more showers and thunderstorms moving into western Iowa and persisting across the state for most of the day. Daytime highs reached into the mid 80s where the sun peaked through, though remaining in the upper 70s where clouds were present. Slower moving thunderstorms produced locally heavy rainfall with Iowa Falls (Hardin County) observing 3.31 inches. Overnight lows into Friday (8th) remained warm, bottoming out in the upper 60s and low 70s under cloud cover. Heavier showers lingered in eastern Iowa through the early afternoon hours, leading to isolated flash flooding on Interstate 80 and north. Anamosa (Jones County) measured 2.48 inches over a period of a few hours. Skies cleared across southern Iowa into Saturday (9th) with variable winds and daytime temperatures in the low 80s. An isolated thunderstorm pushed into north-central Iowa during the early morning hours of Sunday (10th) with over 0.50 inch reported at multiple stations.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.31 inch in Washington (Washington County) to 6.14 inches in Spirit Lake (Dickinson County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 2.12 inches while the normal is 1.11 inches. Lamoni (Decatur County) and Osceola (Clarke County) reported the week’s high temperature of 100 degrees on the 5th, on average 14 degrees above normal. Emmetsburg (Palo Alto County) reported the week’s low temperature of 51 degrees on the 6th, 12 degrees below normal.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented today on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November.

“An early July derecho raced along a path from northwestern South Dakota through northern Iowa early last week, producing swaths of lodged and flattened corn as well as some structural wind damage,” said Secretary Naig. “Several waves of rainfall also brought widespread relief to drier parts of the state as corn tassels begin to emerge.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report

Most of the state received rain along with warmer temperatures, resulting in 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 10, 2022, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. A derecho blew through northern Iowa on Tuesday, causing some crop damage. Fieldwork included wrapping up the first cutting of alfalfa and working on the second.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 19 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 7 percent very short, 22 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.

Corn silking was at 7 percent, 4 days behind last year and 5 days behind average. Corn condition rated 81 percent good to excellent. Thirty-four percent of soybeans were blooming or beyond, 1 week behind last year and 2 days behind average. Three percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, 10 days behind last year and 5 days behind the 5-year average. Iowa’s soybean condition rating was 79 percent good to excellent. Ninety-five percent of the oat crop was headed or beyond, 4 days behind last year. Forty-eight percent of oats were turning color, 6 days behind last year. Oat harvest for grain has begun at 2 percent, 1 week behind last year. Iowa’s oat condition was 80 percent good to excellent.

Thirty-five percent of the State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay was complete. All Hay condition rated 70 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 59 percent good to excellent. Pasture and hay improved with widespread rain. Livestock were stressed due to above average heat and humidity with reports of pinkeye in cattle.

Kansas City, MO — As temperatures rise, so does the risk of vehicular, heat-related illnesses and deaths in children. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 7 which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, is working together to promote Park. Look. Lock. effort designed to ensure that child passengers are not left behind in the car by parents and caregivers, and that children cannot gain unsupervised access to motor vehicles.

NHTSA hopes that before walking away after parking a vehicle, drivers look in the back of their car and lock the doors. Vehicle heatstroke is one of the leading causes of traffic-related death for children in the United States, resulting in the deaths of 906 young children since 1998.

“More than half (53%) of all vehicle-related heatstroke deaths in children are caused by a child accidentally being left in the car, and 26% are from a child getting into a hot car unsupervised,” said Regional Administrator Susan DeCourcy. “Since 1998, our region has lost 67 children to vehicular heatstroke. We have to impress upon our children that the vehicle is not a playground and that playing in and around the car is very dangerous. Get the word out to everyone: please Park. Look. Lock.”

Families staying home more over the past couple of years likely contributed to a decline in ‘forgotten’ circumstances. Unfortunately, the percentage of children playing in and around the car and getting locked in has increased.

The bottom line is this: We are all susceptible to forgetfulness. We live in a fast-paced society, and our routines are often upended at a moment’s notice. It is during these moments of hurriedness and change in routine that many of these preventable tragedies occur. For this reason, NHTSA urges everyone to make it a habit to look in the back seat every time and think to Park. Look. Lock.

If you are a bystander and see a child in a hot vehicle:

• Make sure the child is okay and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.

• If the child appears to be okay, attempt to locate the parents. If there is someone with you, one person should actively search for the parent while the other waits at the car.
• If the child is not responsive or appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child — even if that means breaking a window.

Knowing the warning signs of heatstroke, which include red, hot, and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid or a slow weak pulse; nausea; or confusion is also key. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, quickly spray the child with cool water or with a garden hose — but never in an ice bath. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

For more information on vehicle heatstroke, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke.

In the interest of keeping Henry County residents informed, the Henry County Sheriff’s office has requested KILJ post the daily jail count. During the jail referendum campaign it was publicized that the jail would be able to house additional inmates from surrounding counties and this would generate revenue for Henry County.

Date:   07-11-2022______

JAIL COUNT

24_    Henry County Inmates

61     Out of County Contract Inmates

85       TOTAL