Summary Iowa weather and specialty crop growth.  Justin Glisan and Trent Ford discuss Iowa weather with Dan Fillius.Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist, explains why North Carolina has a large state climate office despite having a similar setup to other states. Iowa weather history and snowfall patterns.  Justin Glisan provides historical snowfall data for Iowa, highlighting isolated heavy snow events in northern parts of the state. Weather history and forecast in the Midwest. Trent Ford discusses a significant snowstorm in 2000 that hit northern Illinois, with 14.5 inches of snowfall in Chicago and led to the snowiest winter on record at Midway Airport. In 1855, Peoria, Illinois began certified weather measurements, with some original handwritten records still available today, providing insight into the region's weather history. Dan Fillius and Justin Glisan discuss a man named Gustavus Hinrich, a weather observer and professor at St. Louis University, and their forecast for the next week. Temperature variations in the Midwest. Gradient of climate prediction center shows higher probability of warmer temperatures in Minnesota and Dakotas. Winter weather forecast with El Nino influence.  Trent Ford explains how El Niño will bring milder temperatures and below-normal snowfall to the Midwest this winter. Weather forecast for Christmas with emphasis on snow probability.  Glisan, Justin: Doubts white Christmas will occur in southern Iowa, but northern areas have a higher probability. Weather forecast and its impact on specialty crops.  Trent Ford: Forecasts for Iowa and Illinois are consistently exaggerated lately, with only a fraction of predicted precipitation actually falling. Justin Glisan and Dan Fillius discuss the dry conditions in Iowa, with November being the driest on record and December starting off warm. Dan Fillius shares insights on managing specialty crops during warm and dry weather, including the importance of ventilation and irrigation to prevent disease and damage. In Iowa, specialty crops like lettuce, radishes, and turnips have been growing faster and potentially lasting longer than usual due to the warm weather, but more attention and nursing are required. Horseradish and specialty crops in Illinoisi. Trent Ford discusses horseradish harvesting, mentioning that age may affect spiciness and that it's a year-round cycle in the St. Louis area. Horseradish growers in the area face labor intensive harvesting and visa issues, with a concentrated harvest in late winter/early spring. Thunderstorm damage costs and trends.  Dan Fillius expresses concern about thunderstorm damage, which topped $50 billion in 2023, the costliest year on record. Justin Glisan highlights the damage from convective storms in the central US, with $55 million in damage this year. Severe weather events in Illinois and their impact.  Trent Ford notes that Illinois had a record number of tornadoes in 2023, with a particularly intense start to the season followed by a quieter summer and fall. Trent Ford highlights the unusual timing of severe weather events in Illinois, including a winter with more tornadoes than usual and a summer with less activity, followed by a series of intense convective storms in July and August. Dan Fillius and Justin Glisan discuss the impact of hail storms on property damage, with 1000 reported hail storms in the United States this year, causing $100 million in damage. Trent Ford highlights the challenges of addressing collective damage from multiple storms, as individual events may not meet threshold requirements for federal reimbursement or emergency management assistance.

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