Historical Weather (This Day in History - 1993)
- Severe thunderstorms moved from Nebraska to western Iowa at 60 mph
- Wind gusts exceeded 70 mph, with 75 mph winds in Pottawattamie County destroying barns
- Council Bluffs received 2 inches of rain in 30 minutes causing urban flooding
- Des Moines recorded 83 mph wind gust
- 1993 was record wet year for Ames (20 inches of rain in July alone vs. 8 inches in July 2025)
Current Weather Forecast
Short-term (Justin Glisan)
- Rainfall chances continue through Friday night
- Cold front broke heat dome, bringing dew points down
- Temperatures: mid-80s through weekend, then back to 90s
- Minor rainfall chances early next week
- Northern Iowa has less rain chance as storm track moves south
- Expected rainfall: 3/4 inch statewide (below normal), 1.5-2 inches in southwestern Iowa
Extended Outlook (Madelynn Wuestenberg)
- 6-10 day outlook (July 29-Aug 2): Slightly below normal temperatures in north, near normal in south; 33-40% chance above normal precipitation
- 8-14 day outlook (July 31-Aug 6): Continued slight chances of below normal temperatures; western Iowa slightly wetter, eastern Iowa near normal
- Normal temperatures: Daily highs mid-80s, lows in 60s
Recent Weather Events
Heat and Humidity
- Yesterday and prior day were hot, with cloud cover mitigating worst conditions in central Iowa
- Eastern Iowa experienced "dew point pooling" with dew points in upper 70s-low 80s
- Hottest reading: Dubuque Lock and Dam hit 95°F with heat index of 110°F
Severe Weather
- 6 AM tornado warnings in central Iowa
- Tornado warnings near Maxwell and eastern Iowa
- Caused by remnants of mesoscale convective vortex from Kansas moving along warm boundary
Rainfall Totals (Past 7 Days)
- Northeast Iowa: 4-4.5 inches (highest)
- Central Iowa: 3-3.5 inches
- Southwest Iowa: Trace to 0.25 inches (lowest, drought conditions persist)
Specialty Crop Impacts
Garlic Disease Investigation
- Farm in Chariton, Iowa had garlic crop with yellowing (suspected aster yellows)
- Testing revealed it was a virus, not aster yellows phytoplasma
- Cannot save seed for next year due to virus
- Comparison with aunt's clean stock showed dramatic difference
- At a different farm, possible Embellisia skin blotch observed on garlic wrappers
Brassica Issues
- Black rot & alternaria affecting collards, broccoli, and kale
- Wet conditions exacerbating disease problems
Nutritional Concerns
- Nitrogen leaching due to excessive moisture
- Fertilization may be necessary to supplement leached nutrients
Crop Performance Issues
- Onions in Central Minnesota: Unexpectedly bolting across all varieties (planted from seed this spring)
- Zucchini: Poor fruit set, currently "worst crop of the year" candidate
- Tomatoes: Slow growth, fruit remaining green
- General pollination: Poor across multiple crops due to hot, wet conditions
- Heat may be affecting fruit set in tomatoes and peppers (flower abortion)
Upcoming Events
- July 30: Cut flower field walk at River Root Farm (Decorah)
- July 31-Aug 1: Plant Peddler educator field day and variety day (Cresco)
- August 2: Grow Johnson County field day and food safety workshop
- August 5: Iowa State fruit and vegetable Field Day
- August 20: Midwest mechanical weed control field day
Show Notes
- Hiatus announcement: No new episodes for 3 weeks (pre-recorded content only)
- Return date: August 21st, 2025
summary generated using Claude.ai
