Chris Dolce
The Midwest will see some of its hottest temperatures of the summer so far in the coming days, and with that you might hear the term "corn sweat" when referring to the rising humidity that comes with the heat.
The bulk of the humid air comes from Gulf of Mexico. Southerly winds help bring in warmer temperatures, but they also draw in increasing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, leading to higher dew points. The dew point – a measure of moisture in the air – is the best way to tell how uncomfortable you will feel in the summer, as the chart below shows.
The Midwest "corn sweat" factor can boost already humid air. Simply put, this is a localized effect the Midwest sees when the corn crop is in full swing during midsummer. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said that it could become noticeable as heat and humidity grow in the region over the next week.
Evapotranspiration is the key to how "corn sweat" works. As the root systems of plants like corn draw in water, the leaves of the plant then release water vapor (moisture) into the air through their stomata, according to agdaily.com. This is called evapotranspiration, which essentially, is the plant's way of breathing.
A single acre of corn can give off 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water per day, the NWS in Sioux Falls said.
That added moisture in the air then increases already high dew points, making it feel even more humid on a localized scale.
In the past, we've seen "corn sweat" help jump dew points above 80 degrees, which is a stifling amount of humid air. The increased humidity can then help boost heat index temperatures even higher.
One factor that can play a role in how much moisture the corn leaves give off is how moist or wet soils are. Drought conditions like parts of the Midwest are seeing right now can help reduce the amount of moisture the corn plants give off as they try to protect themselves by rolling their leaves.
Chris Dolce has been a senior meteorologist with weather.com for over 10 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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