•Historical weather note:

• Unusually cool weather and frost reported in parts of Iowa on June 21-22, 1902.

• Recent weather highlights:

• Southeast Iowa has been experiencing dryness, reflected in the drought monitor.
• Northern Iowa has received about 2 inches of rain in the last two weeks.
• High wind events caused damage to greenhouses and tunnels in northeastern Iowa.

• Weather forecast:

• Unsettled pattern with chances of showers and thunderstorms.
• Temperatures in the 90s expected early next week.
• Northern Iowa may see 3-5 inches of rain in the next 36 hours.
• At least an inch of rain expected statewide.

• Recent weather events:

• Dryness in southeastern Iowa
• High wind events in northeastern Iowa damaging farm structures
• Large hail in western Iowa

• Climate outlook:

• Warmer than average temperatures predicted for the next 6-14 days and through September.
• Mixed precipitation signals: wetter in short-term
• July may end up being downgraded to "equal chances"

• Crop and pest updates:

• Japanese beetles are starting to appear.
• Powdery mildew affecting peas.
• Black raspberries are highly productive this year.
• Strawberry season is ending; time for field renovation.
• Downy mildew affecting some sunflowers
• Leaf hoppers causing damage to various crops
• Sweet corn expected around second week of July for many growers
• Garlic scapes affected by anthracnose
• Imported cabbage worm moths and damage observed on brassicas.
• Sap beetles seen in peonies and Napa cabbage.

• Irrigation systems are being set up due to drier conditions and warmer forecasts.

Summary created using Claude.ai and Perplexity.ai

• Iowa experienced one of the wettest meteorological springs on record for most of Iowa (March-May 2024), ending a long drought that had persisted since 2020.
  • It was the first time since June 2020 that there was no drought anywhere in Iowa, with only abnormally dry conditions remaining in some areas.
• Precipitation levels were in the top 10 wettest on record for 7 out of 9 climate divisions in Iowa.
• The wet spring helped replenish soil moisture, stream flows, and shallow aquifers, though deeper aquifers will take years to fully recover.
• Growing degree days were above average while stress degree days (temperatures above 86°F) were slightly below average, providing favorable conditions for plant growth.
• The last frost occurred around late April in central Iowa, allowing an extended spring growing season.
• Vegetable growers reported good germination and growth without needing to irrigate due to the ample rainfall.
• However, some growers fell behind on transplanting starts and succession plantings due to the wet fields.
• Succession planting of crops like cucumbers, zucchini, and radishes was impacted by the delays.
• Overall, it was described as an archetypal, pleasant spring after coming out of a multi-year drought.

Summarized using claude.ai and perplexity.ai

We discussed the rare occurrence of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) being visible in central parts of the United States, including Iowa and Missouri on May 10-11, 2024.

• The Northern Lights were visible much farther south than usual, including central Missouri, due to a powerful G5 class geomagnetic storm caused by coronal mass ejections and solar flares from the Sun
• Justin, vividly recalls seeing the Aurora in Columbia, Missouri, around 20 years ago during another strong geomagnetic storm, describing it as brighter than the ones he witnessed in Fairbanks, Alaska
• The hosts explain how the different colors (green from nitrogen, pink from oxygen) are produced by the interaction of charged particles with gases in the Earth's atmosphere
• They discuss the potential impacts of such space weather events on GPS, telecommunications, and electrical grids, necessitating precautionary measures like shutting down satellites and power grids
• There were some agricultural impacts reported, like disrupted GPS on farm equipment during the planting season.
• The conversation also touches upon the hosts' humorous anecdotes and pop culture references related to the Northern Lights phenomenon.

Podcast summary generated using claude.ai and perplexity.ai