Farmers worry a heatwave and wind will negatively impact the corn crop.
Hot and humid air is forecast to invade Iowa this weekend and could stick around through the middle of next week.
The National Weather Service in Des Moines says many areas of Iowa could see temperatures in the 90s with heat indices topping 100 degrees. An Excessive Heat Watch was issued for more than half of the state on Friday, Aug. 18.
While conditions might be uncomfortable for humans and animals alike, they could also pose a problem for corn producers.
Dave Rossman, a longtime farmer from Hartley, is seeing a mixed bag this season when it comes to the weather.
"Cold weather and dry early has held the corn back a bit, and then we got really dry in July," Rossman said.
Recent rains helped, and corn usually thrives with heat and humidity, but Rossman worries warm winds will dry up all the good moisture in his fields.
"They talk about corn sweat and stuff, but it has to be fairly still for the humidity to stay," Rossman said.
"We're supposed to be in the upper 90s and windy, so there's going to be a lot of evapotranspiration, but we can't do anything about it. So, we just sit back and watch and think about yield estimates. How much you may or may not want to sell. But we can't change it. We can't cause the rain. So just watch and watch and wait and take it. Take what you get."
IPR News contacted Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Agronomist Leah Ten Napelfor more information about evapotranspiration.
In a released statement, Ten Napel stated, "Evapotranspiration is the combination of soil moisture loss (evaporation) and crop water loss (transpiration). High wind speed, high temperatures, low relative humidity and adequate soil moisture increase the rate of evapotranspiration. Higher corn yields require more inches of moisture for evapotranspiration. The lack of adequate moisture is a yield-limiting factor in corn plants."
A recent crop report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows both corn and soybeans are rated 58% good to excellent.
Rossman said his soybeans have early signs of diseases like white moldand Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS).
"With probably a month or close to go left in the growing season, that disease could take a lot of yield away."
Rossman loves the independence of farming even though he is dependent on the forecast.
"I can do what I want. I'm my own boss gets a little challenging once in a while, you know, weather markets totally out of your control. As they say, 'if anybody can do it, everybody else would be doing it.'"
