LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – If you thought your sticky summer misery was just a gift from the sun this week, think again. It turns out the cornfields of Michigan are helping crank up the humidity – by sweating. It’s called evapotranspiration, but meteorologists have lovingly dubbed it “corn sweat.”
When temperatures spike and the heat dome settles in like an unwanted houseguest, Michigan’s roughly 2 million acres of corn goes into overdrive. Corn plants release water vapor into the air through their leaves, increasing overall humidity – up to 4,000 gallons per acre per day. Multiply that by millions of acres and you get the Midwest’s version of a steam room, adding to the dew point levels.
A steamy side effect of summer agriculture.
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While Iowa and Illinois are the reigning champions of corn-induced humidity, Michigan isn’t off the hook. In areas where corn dominates the landscape, like in Lenawee and Saginaw counties, residents are particularly vulnerable to corn sweat spikes. Pair that with already sweltering temps, and it’s no wonder it feels like someone turned Michigan into a giant crockpot.
The impact isn’t just on your comfort level – it’s a legitimate public health concern. High humidity impairs the body’s ability to cool itself, increasing the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, especially for kids, the elderly, and anyone working outside. It’s also bad news for pets, who don’t appreciate corn sweat either.
Corn sweat isn’t the main villain – but it still in the cast.
It’s not just corn that sweats though. It’s also soybeans and other crops as well, says Iowa state climatologist Justin Glisan in communications with USA Today. Glisan says that evapotranspiration occurs with all vegetation, although corn’s contribution is particularly significant due to its high water release rate and extensive acreage in Michigan.
And although corn transpiration is an important moisture contributor, it’s not a large-scale dominant factor says Glisan, who adds that the weather patterns contribute more to the heat and humidity in the Midwest than corn sweat. Still, evapotranspiration from corn and other crops can significantly influence local humidity levels, especially in rural areas with dense cornfields.
The silver lining? Corn sweat is a sign of a healthy crop. So while Michiganders are panting through their fourth iced tea of the afternoon, farmers are smiling about pollination and grain fill.
So the next time you find yourself drenched in sweat five minutes after stepping outside, just remember: it’s not just you sweating – it’s also the corn and their fellow crops in the fields.
