08/04/2022

‘Corn Sweat’ is Making the Air in the Midwest Oppressively Muggy

Corn contributes substantial moisture to the atmosphere

During summer, the Midwest can experience some of the most oppressive humidity in the country. Fields in Iowa can be muggier than beaches in Miami. The culprit? Billions of stalks of corn.

Akin to a person breathing, plants exhale water into the atmosphere through a process called evapotranspiration. Some call it "corn sweat."

In the Midwest and northern Plains, corn and soybean crops draw moisture from the ground through their roots into their leaves, stems and fruits. The water evaporates into the surrounding air through their leaves, joining forces with neighboring water molecules to humidify the air.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.