![\"Midwest-2507\"](\"http:\/\/us.weatheramerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Midwest-2507.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Late July<\/strong> in the Midwest<\/strong> has always been hot, but this week, the region is drenched in a whole new level of sticky, stifling heat<\/strong> \u2014 and a major reason behind that suffocating humidity is something called \u201ccorn sweat.\u201d<\/strong> Yes, it\u2019s real. And no, it\u2019s not pleasant.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corn sweat<\/strong> refers to the moisture<\/strong> that cornfields release<\/strong> into the air during hot, sunny days<\/strong>. Just like people perspire to cool off, plants transpire<\/strong> \u2014 pulling water from the soil and pushing it into the atmosphere<\/strong>. This release of moisture, combined with evaporation from the ground<\/strong>, is called evapotranspiration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In regions like Iowa<\/strong>, where corn dominates the landscape<\/strong>, this process intensifies during summer heatwaves<\/strong>. Add a massive heat dome<\/strong> \u2014 like the one currently gripping much of the United States<\/strong> \u2014 and the humidity skyrockets<\/strong>. That makes the air feel thicker<\/strong>, hotter<\/strong>, and more oppressive<\/strong>, with heat index readings<\/strong> climbing well above 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C)<\/strong> in several spots.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s not that corn plants<\/strong> sweat more than other types of vegetation \u2014 an acre of oaks<\/strong>, for instance, can release more water. But what sets the Midwest<\/strong> apart is the sheer density of farmland<\/strong>. In Iowa<\/strong>, over two-thirds<\/strong> of the state is agriculture<\/strong>, and corn<\/strong> is the most common crop. Soybeans<\/strong>, which also release moisture, follow closely behind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to Bruno Basso<\/strong>, an expert in crop science<\/strong> at Michigan State University<\/strong>, this combo of high heat and extra humidity<\/strong> from the cornfields is dangerous. It raises the risk of heat-related illnesses<\/strong>, especially for outdoor workers<\/strong>, the elderly<\/strong>, and anyone lacking access to air conditioning<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Strangely, evapotranspiration<\/strong> is also supposed to have a cooling effect<\/strong> \u2014 much like how forests<\/strong> feel cooler than parking lots<\/strong>. But during extreme heat<\/strong>, those dynamics shift<\/strong>, says Basso. The added humidity<\/strong> can cancel out<\/strong> that natural cooling and trap heat overnight<\/strong>, robbing people of much-needed relief.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One study from 2020<\/strong> by researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics<\/strong> found that croplands in the Midwest<\/strong> \u2014 particularly areas covered in corn<\/strong> \u2014 can push moisture levels<\/strong> in the air up by as much as 40 percent<\/strong> during summer heatwaves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That kind of spike in humidity<\/strong> doesn\u2019t just make you sweat more<\/strong> \u2014 it affects how your body cools down<\/strong>, how crops grow, and how the local climate functions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Historically, much of this land was covered in native prairie<\/strong>, which Basso says managed moisture better thanks to its diverse plant species<\/strong> with varied root depths<\/strong>. Today\u2019s monocultures<\/strong> of corn and soybeans<\/strong>, by contrast, suck up water quickly<\/strong> and release it all at once, which not only fuels the mugginess<\/strong>, but may also worsen drought conditions<\/strong> by draining soil moisture faster \u2014 even if the Midwest<\/strong> is expected to see more rainfall in the coming decades.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, next time you’re drenched in sweat walking through southern Minnesota<\/strong> or eastern Nebraska<\/strong>, you might just be feeling the effects of millions of acres of corn<\/strong> working overtime \u2014 pumping moisture into the sky<\/strong>, one stalk at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Late July in the Midwest has always been hot, but this week, the region is drenched in a whole new level of sticky, stifling heat \u2014 and a major reason behind that suffocating humidity is something called \u201ccorn sweat.\u201d Yes, it\u2019s real. And no, it\u2019s not pleasant. Corn sweat refers to the moisture that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n