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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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3/25/26 - Dry now, wetter starting next week. Our 100th episode!
Episode 3
Wednesday, 25 March, 2026
Episode Summary 00:00:08 – 1907 Iowa weather history: record 92°F March heat, followed by volcanic eruption–driven spring cooling 00:01:31 – New March 2026 heat record: Little Sioux hits 97°F, breaking the all‑time Iowa March temperature record and surpassing previous 92°F marks from 1907 and 1986. 00:03:37 – This week's forecast: small rain chance Thursday, brief freeze Friday night, then temperatures rebounding into 70s–80s with a more active pattern and storm chances late next week. 00:04:48 – Mesoscale vs. synoptic systems: how models handle uncertainty, why forecasts "oscillate" several days out, and what that means for multiple‑day rain and severe weather threats. 00:07:03 – 7‑day QPF and early April outlooks: light northwest to heavier southeast Iowa rain gradients, plus warmer‑wetter Climate Prediction Center outlooks hinting at more thunderstorms. 00:08:56 – April patterns, wind, and frost risk: why April is Iowa's windiest month, how high‑amplitude ridges/troughs can still bring freezes amidst hot spells, and thoughts on planting timing vs. last frost dates. 00:12:57 – Recent extremes recap: details on the recent blizzard with 70 mph gusts, interstate closures, and the rapid flip to record March heat across Iowa and neighboring states. 00:14:29 – Severe Weather Awareness Week: overview of Storm Prediction Center convective outlook categories (marginal to high), the new "conditional intensity" layer, and how hatching now signals potential for violent tornadoes. 00:19:14 – Specialty crop planning: why growers may want to do spring tillage early ahead of a wetter, more active April while still being cautious about planting frost‑tender crops too soon. 00:20:16 – Recent crop impacts: damage to overwintered green onions in low tunnels, contrasting resilience of bulb onions and spinach, and low‑tunnel disease issues like sclerotinia in flowers after rapid warmups. 00:23:28 – Greenhouse tomato disease update: significant Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus losses in Red Deuce, and strong recommendations to switch to TSWV‑resistant tomato varieties despite good yield potential of Red Deuce. 00:24:26 – Mechanical weed control field days: University of Minnesota's free, on‑farm mechanical weeding workshops (starting May 27 at Featherstone Farm) featuring cultivating tractors, tools, hands‑on demos, and peer learning for vegetable growers. Summary generated using perplexity.ai
