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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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3/12/26 - First flowers; drier end of the month forecasted
Episode 2
Thursday, 12 March, 2026
Episode Summary • [00:00:19] Welcome and introductions — Dan Fillius and Justin Glisan kick off the episode. • [00:00:40] On this day in Iowa weather history — a powerful 1954 storm brought dirty snow, sleet, freezing rain, and widespread damage to telephone and power lines across Iowa. • [00:01:19] Week ahead forecast — a winter storm system is expected this weekend with significant precipitation, especially in northeast Iowa, along with high winds and red flag warnings through Friday. Warmer and drier conditions are expected later in the month. • [00:04:02] Recent weather notables — much of Iowa has seen 170–400% of normal precipitation so far this month, with temperatures running about 14 degrees above average statewide. • [00:05:16] Severe weather recap — two severe weather events struck the region, including a tornado watch in central Iowa and a historic hail event near Kankakee, Illinois, where football-shaped hailstones measuring 6–8 inches were reported, potentially a new state record. • [00:10:26] Iowa's first tornadoes of the season — two tornadoes reported in Lee County in far southeastern Iowa caused minor damage. • [00:10:47] Specialty crop updates — Dan shares observations on overwintering crops including garlic, onions, kale, Salanova, and flowers, with notes on what survived the winter and what didn't. • [00:15:53] Nitrogen mineralization — an overview of Iowa State Extension's FACTS tool, showing how much nitrogen is mineralized across Iowa's climate divisions, when it peaks, and what it means for early-season crop fertility planning. • [00:19:23] Closing — no episode next week due to spring break; the show returns the last week of March. episode summary generated using Claude.ai
