'Corn sweat' will make this week's heat wave feel even worse
Humidity levels are spiking in part of the central U.S. this week amid a heat wave. And it may feel even hotter due to fields of corn.
What is corn sweat and how does it affect the crop as well as the weather?
The heat wave baking the central United States this week may feel worse than those earlier in the summer, and corn is partly to blame. The claim may sound unusual, but this common crop can actually change the weather.
"Corn actually produces humidity, if you will, or moisture that wicks off the plant on average about 4,000 gallons per acre [per day]," Farmer Mark Baker told AccuWeather. That added moisture increases the humidity, which in turn raises the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures, making already-hot days feel even more intense.
During the past week, dew point temperatures as high as 88 degrees were measured at Kennett, Missouri, with 86 and both Boone, Iowa and Gary, Indiana. Combined with the temperature and other factors, the AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature was 96 degrees at 5 a.m. Wednesday, rising to 116 in the afternoon at Kennett.
The phenomenon is called "corn sweat," and it's far more pronounced with corn than other plants. For comparison, a large oak tree releases around 100 gallons of water into the atmosphere each day, 40 times less than an acre of corn.
An ear of corn growing in a field. (UrosPoteko/Getty Images)
"On a normal day, I mean, the humidity in the cornfield is substantially worse," Baker added. "You step out of the corn and you go, 'Wow, that's a breath of fresh air.'"
All this week, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are expected to climb above 100 degrees in parts of the Corn Belt, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri.
The effects of corn sweat will continue to amplify heat and humidity until the crops are harvested in early autumn.
Report a Typo
