TOLEDO, Ohio — The "dog days" of summer are common to end the season in mid to late August, typically marked by long and hot days with sweltering humidity.
The high humidity can be partially attributed to a source you may have not guessed: "corn sweat."
Corn sweat is on the move and is currently swamping the Midwest, adding to the oppressive hot and humid weather that millions of Americans are feeling.
Late August is a common time of the year for extreme heat and humidity. One of the contributing factors is the mature corn crop releasing moisture into the atmosphere. One acre of mature corn can release 3,000 gallons per day into the atmosphere.
In 2023, a total of 94 million acres of corn were planted. This equates to billions of gallons of water released into the atmosphere.
This adds to the extreme mugginess we are currently feeling and some of the highest dew points of the entire summer season in the upper 70s to nearly 80 degrees. The epicenter of this high humidity is directly over the nation's corn belt region.
This extremely muggy weather will bring heat index values to 100 degrees or warmer over the next couple of days.
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