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The summer season may be coming to an end, but the heat continues to linger intensely in locations like the US. Last week, temperatures in the Midwest reached record highs that worsened for an unexpected reason: corn.
To understand that cause-and-effect, we need to talk about the meaning of ‘corn sweat’. This is a phenomenon that is adding moisture to the atmosphere and making hot conditions even more unpleasant.
Although ‘corn sweat’ is not an official scientific term, it is used to describe evotranspiration: a natural process by which plants bring water to the surface, such as corn. The water then evaporates into the surrounding atmosphere, creating uncomfortably hot conditions as it gives off moisture.
Research conducted by the USDA Agricultural Research Service suggests that corn can pump thousands of gallons of water per acre into the atmosphere in just a few days.
‘When there’s a heat ridge centered in the corn belt region, corn can actually emit higher levels of moisture and dew point temperatures,’ says Michael Musher, meteorologist and spokesman for the National Weather Service. All of this directly affects the society that lives around corn or soybean crops, or the farmers who have to deal with them.