Have you noticed the heat index has been at ranges some of us probably haven’t seen, like ever? There is reason for that. Corn sweat. What’s that, you say? Corn sweat. In the midwest, particularly Nebraska, corn and soybean crops draw moisture from the ground through their roots into their leaves, stems and fruits. The water evaporates into the surrounding air through their leaves, joining forces with neighboring water molecules to humidify the air. This extra humidity is making the heat wave centered right over the top of us even more oppressive. Franklin County Emergency Management Director, Thomas Winter:
Get this, one acre of corn can release 4,000 gallons of water per day. It’s called evapotranspiration. The moisture from this can also lead to slow cooling at night, which is why you’ve been walking out the door at 6:00 in the morning and wondering “who left the heat on”. So, now you have someone to blame– Nebraska. Dang Cornhuskers!
