Is Corn To Blame For Humid Weather Across Michigan?

I've always thought covering the weather as a meteorologist would be so fun.

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You get to stand in front of giant green screen and point at things.

And when the weather takes a turn for the worse you can help people in your community stay safe.

Grand Rapids has some great meteorologist, some of the most well known include Bill Steffen, Terri DeBoer, George Lessens and Ginger Zee.

One of my favorites is WOOD TV's Chief Meteorologist Ellen Bacca.

I recently saw a weather story where she was talking about something called "Corn Sweat"

As a big dude who is always sweating and loves corn I had to stick around and learn more.

Here's what I learned about corn sweat.

In the Midwest, particularly in states like Michigan, the phenomenon known as "corn sweat" significantly affects humidity levels during the summer.

This term refers to the process of evapotranspiration, where corn plants release moisture into the atmosphere, contributing to the region's oppressive humidity.

Corn sweat occurs when corn plants draw water from the soil through their roots and release it into the air through their leaves.

This process is similar to how humans sweat to cool down.

As the plants release water, the moisture evaporates from their leaves, adding lots of water vapor to the surrounding air.

This increased moisture can raise the dew point and relative humidity, making the air feel much hotter and more uncomfortable.

How It Affects Humidity

During peak summer months, the Midwest experiences high temperatures and humidity levels.

Corn sweat makes these conditions worse by adding extra moisture to the air.

For example, an acre of corn can release up to 4,000 gallons of water per day.

This additional moisture can increase the dew point by 5 to 10 degrees, turning already hot days into sweltering ones.

In July 2021, Clarion, Iowa, recorded a dew point of 90 degrees, resulting in 100% relative humidity and a heat index of 132 degrees.

This extreme humidity is partly due to the vast cornfields in the area, which release large amounts of moisture into the atmosphere.

Similarly, the heat index in Des Moines, Iowa, reached 114 degrees, significantly higher than the actual temperature, due to the added humidity from corn sweat.

Corn sweat not only makes daytime temperatures feel hotter but also affects nighttime cooling.

High humidity levels can prevent temperatures from dropping at night, leading to warmer nights and less relief from the heat.

Check out this fun segment Ellen Bacca did about corn sweat.