Episode Summary Historical Lightning Incident: In 1902, a resident of Creston, Iowa, was struck by lightning twice during the same storm. Remarkably, he survived both strikes. The first lightning strike rendered him unconscious, but he woke up due to the ensuing heavy rainfall and continued his journey home, where he was struck a second time. Forecast for Iowa: The forecast indicates an active jet stream pulling low pressures across the state. Between now and Sunday, there's a potential for severe weather in portions of Iowa, including hail, high winds, and possibly tornadoes. Widespread rainfall is expected, with a potential for 2 to 4 inches across the state. Southeast Iowa may see the highest rainfall totals, while eastern Iowa could receive around 2 inches. The temperature in Iowa for April is near normal but slightly warmer. Warmer air masses are expected due to the Gulf being wide open for moisture influx. Dew points will likely be in the 50s and 60s, given the abundant moisture. While not super uncomfortable, it might feel a little sticky as it gets warmer, especially in the absence of rain.  Severe Weather Potential: The convective outlook indicates a slight risk statewide for severe weather, including hail, wind, and potentially tornadoes. Western Iowa is at an enhanced risk, depending on whether the sky clears during the day. The timing of clearing skies and the formation of a dry slot play a crucial role in severe weather development. Sunshine can warm the surface, create instability, and lead to thunderstorms with large hail and tornado potential. Rooting for Clearing Skies?: If you're a grower with crops to care for, you might want to root for clearing skies. However, striking a balance is essential—clearing skies without breaking the cap (which maintains instability) is ideal. The availability of convective potential energy (CAPE) determines the severity of thunderstorms. Climate Outlook: The next couple of weeks show signals for warmth and wetness, which is beneficial for restoring soil moisture. While there has been above-average precipitation in 2024, it's not enough to fully overcome the 3-4 year deficits caused by drought. The wet signal is good for planting and crop progress but may limit fieldwork due to excess moisture. Looking ahead, there are still signals for heat and equal chances of precipitation during the summer. Soil Loss and Tillage: Heavy rains (2 to 4 inches) can lead to soil loss, so land management practices like reducing tillage are important to consider. For growers of annual vegetables, tillage remains common, but some are exploring no-till techniques. Specialty Crops: Sweet corn is on track for a pre-4th of July harvest. Overwintered cilantro and spinach are bolting, and you're experimenting with different varieties. Overwintered Cut flowers like snapdragons, foxgloves, and bupleurum are close to blooming, benefiting from the warmth and moisture. Clovergold Flower Farm is using spring annual weeds like penny cress as fillers in bouquets—they add greenery and white flowers. Fruit Crops: Strawberry King blooms are appearing on some varieties. The "king blooms" are the largest and the first to open. Unfortunately, they got damaged by cold temperatures, resulting in a black center and no fruit development. However, the next round of flowers (bright green) looks promising for a good crop, albeit with decreased yield due to the initial damage. Growers are surprised at how well the grapes are looking despite challenges. Asparagus Incident: A grower in Jasper County had an incident with herbicide spraying. The neighbor sprayed 2,4-D on a windy day, but the grower covered everything with frost fabric except for the asparagus. The asparagus spears that were already up showed a classic symptom of herbicide contact (a crooked shape). The grower removed those affected spears, and the next round of asparagus is unaffected. Aster Yellows Phytoplasma - Comparison to 2012: In 2012, many growers faced issues with Aster yellows phytoplasma on garlic. The disease is spread by the Aster Leaf Hopper coming from the South. Comparison to 2012 Drought: While it's challenging to make an exact comparison, there are echoes this year of certain elements of the 2012 drought. The intensity of the 2012 second wave of drought was significant. The current drought is structurally different but still poses challenges. Growing Degree Days (GDD): By April 1st, the accumulation of growing degree days (GDD) was almost 400 in 2012. This year, we are closer to 200 GDD, indicating slower progress. Leafhoppers appeared earlier than usual in spring 2012 and affected garlic and small grains. Aster Yellows Phytoplasma: Aster yellows is caused by a phytoplasma and affects various plants, including garlic. Leafhoppers transmit the phytoplasma from infected plants to healthy ones. Symptoms include early yellowing of garlic leaves. Roguing out affected plants is essential to prevent further spread. Phytoplasmas: Phytoplasmas are derived from bacteria but behave like parasites. They cannot live independently and rely on vectors (like leafhoppers) for transmission.

Ver todos los episodios