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What in the Weather?Author: Dan Fillius; Justin Glisan; Madelynn Wuestenberg
This one's for you if you want to understand weather better! Join Dan Fillius, Iowa State University Extension Horticulture Field Specialist, and Dr. Justin Glisan, Iowa's State Climatologist, as they discuss what is happening in the world of Iowa weather. Every week during the main growing season we'll discuss recent weather, its impacts on fruits and vegetables, and provide a climate outlook for the coming week in Iowa. Let us know what you think, though as Mark Twain once said, "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes." Language: en-us Genres: Natural Sciences, Nature, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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5/7/26 - One Last Frost? Thrips Galore
Episode 9
Thursday, 7 May, 2026
[00:00:26] On this day in Iowa weather history: 7 tornadoes touched down in Iowa on May 7, 1964, causing significant damage and injuries in northeastern Iowa [00:00:59] 7-day forecast: Quiet, seasonal stretch ahead with temps in the 60s–70s; minimal rainfall statewide (up to 1/4" in southeast Iowa Saturday night) [00:01:39] Field work update: Central Iowa behind due to wet spring; northwest Iowa drier and further along, but dealing with drought conditions and freeze damage to early-planted soybeans [00:02:51] Frost outlook: No significant frost expected; coldest nights are Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday with lows in the mid-30s in northern Iowa [00:04:21] Extended outlook (8–14 days): Warmer-than-average temperatures expected May 12–16; near-normal rainfall [00:05:12] Monthly May outlook: Leaning warm for the second half of the month; overall lean dry for May following the 6th wettest April on record in 154 years [00:07:20] Past week's weather notables: Lake Park recorded 3.79" of rain; statewide temps ran 3.2°F below average; high of 86°F in Davenport, low of 23°F at Spencer Municipal Airport; 70 stations hit 32°F or below [00:09:01] Specialty crop impacts: Wilson's Orchard (near Des Moines) running frost protection on strawberries and apples; king blossoms blackened by a drop to 24°F; lower-than-expected apple fruit set possibly due to poor pollination conditions [00:11:51] Grape damage: Randall Vos reports significantly worse frost damage to grapes in eastern Iowa vs. western Iowa; topography played a major role [00:12:32] Thrips update: Western flower thrips confirmed in apple blossoms in western Iowa; high onion thrips numbers also reported; possible link to warm, dry winter under investigation [00:16:07] Planting recommendations: Good window opening for melon transplants, winter squash, zucchini, cucurbits, and possibly basil; wait another 1–2 weeks for peppers [00:17:43] Low tunnel flower report ahead of Mother's Day: Iceland poppies and dianthus blooming reliably [00:19:23] Pest alert: Flea beetles already present in Iowa — earlier than the VDIFN forecasting tool indicated; Dan plans to follow up with UW Extension on proper tool usage summary generated using claude.ai
