Corn Sweat? Really!

A couple of weeks ago our weather man on a particularly hot and humid day was offering reasons for our thick muggy air. As I write this we have hit fifteen ninety degree days in our area and it looks like at least two more coming by the end of the week. I can take the heat. I can't take the humidity which is why we don't visit grandkids in Florida in the middle of summer. The weather man did have something to blame the humidity on though and it wasn't climate change. It was corn sweat. Really?

I thought he was joking but apparently there really is such a thing and for those of us in the midwestern states that have so many corn fields perhaps it makes sense. Now there is a fancier name for it--kind of like women who don't sweat but "glisten." For corn it's called evapotranspiration.

Just as people who exercise or are active in the heat begin to sweat the corn as it grows and pollinates takes in more water and "transpires" or releases moisture. Oh come on now, let's just say it sweats.

As temperatures rise the capacity to hold moisture grows and the dew points begin to reach the uncomfortable point. And we all know that higher dew points means more women will "glisten."

Glisten. Sweat. Transpire. Come the middle of January we'll wish for a little more of that.