(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- When it's this hot, humidity levels in agricultural areas can be significantly higher than in cities and suburban areas. Blame it on “corn sweat.”
Rebecca Delaney, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Central Illinois, said corn sweat occurs when corn and other crops, like beans, give off moisture. This results in higher humidity and higher heat-index values.
“It is as widespread as the cornfields are. It stays pretty local to the cornfield,” Delaney told WBBM Newsradio on Thursday.
The scientific term is evapotranspiration. Not surprisingly, urban areas – which have their own ways of exacerbating heat – are not impacted by this natural phenomenon.
Related
Related
Listen to our new podcast Courier Pigeon
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram