• Season 4 kicks off with Dan Fillius and Justin Glisan; Madelynn Wuestenberg is on maternity leave
• On this day in Iowa weather history: the record-breaking snowstorm of March 4–6, 1959, which stranded an estimated 20,000 vehicles in Des Moines
• Active weather week ahead: strong to severe thunderstorm potential, especially southern Iowa, with 1.5–2.5 inches of rain possible in the southeast over the next 7 days
• Climate outlook: leaning warm and wet through mid-March, with conditions trending back toward near-normal by the 8–14 day window
• 2026 humidity outlook: drought in the Southern Plains may mean lower dew points and overnight lows than the notably muggy summer of 2025
• Meteorological winter recap: warmer than average, significant snow drought, and the 22nd driest winter on record
• Deep dive into the MRCC's Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI), including historical highlights back to 1953
• Specialty crop update: Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus confirmed in a heated greenhouse; field testing and variety resistance (Big Beef Plus vs. Red Deuce) discussed
• Cotyledon salt damage in tomato transplants revisited; grower conducting potting media trial
• Resources mentioned: Randall Vos's article on grape vine dormancy and chilling hours; Cornell asparagus webinar (March 17, $20); open position for ISU vegetable production specialist

Episode summary generated using Claude.ai

Iowa Specialty Producers Conference | February 24, 2026 | Ankeny, Iowa

This episode is a live recording of the What in the Weather podcast session presented at the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference. State Climatologist Justin Glisan and host Dan Fillius cover current weather conditions, a full 2025 weather year in review, and crop and pest impacts for Iowa specialty producers.

Current Conditions & Outlook

• February 2025 has been one of the top five warmest on record; the state is now in a brief cool spell following a significant snowfall event near Waterloo (12–14 inches)
• Precipitation is at 72% of normal statewide, with northwestern Iowa below 50%; drought conditions are emerging and could worsen if dry weather continues
• The forecast for early March shows a warm and wet signal, which typically brings increased thunderstorm activity

2025 Weather Year in Review

• 2025 was the 25th warmest year on record (1.3°F above average); the past five years are the warmest five-year period on record
• June and July were exceptionally humid — dew points above 70°F were recorded on more than half of July's days, producing heat index values near 109°F
• The second wettest July on record was followed by a dry fall — Red Oak went 33 days without measurable precipitation
• Iowa recorded 36 tornadoes in 2025, below the average of 44, with no fatalities

2025 Weather Superlatives

• Coldest stretch: Feb. 10–22, with daytime highs as low as -20°F (NW Iowa) and a dew point of -29°F in Sioux County
• Warmest overnight low: 82°F in June (Quad Cities)
• Highest temperature: 101°F, Little Sioux (June 20)
• Coldest overnight low: -23°F, Fayette
• Biggest single rain event: 8.64 inches in Decorah
• Wettest location: Boone at 47.84 inches; driest: Randolph at 24.56 inches
• Longest growing season: southeastern Iowa; shortest: northwestern Iowa

Crop Impacts

• Low winter precipitation in 2024–25 led to garlic winter damage on multiple farms
• Wet June and July caused widespread disease, delayed plantings, and poor early fruit set in tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant
• Worst-performing crops: onions (waterlogged soils), watermelons, and summer broccoli (heat and disease)
• Best-performing crop: tomatoes — scarce supply drove strong prices, with tunnel growers fetching ~$4/lb late in the season; late-planted fall carrots were a standout surprise

Pest & Disease Highlights

• Top insect pests: aphids (especially damaging on fall and winter greens) and onion thrips
• Top diseases: pepper anthracnose, Alternaria on brassicas, and southern rust in corn
• Management tips discussed include pre-transplant aphid dips with M-Pede or Suffoil-X, interplanting sweet alyssum to attract beneficials, and a conventional onion thrips spray rotation using Movento and Radiant per the 2026 Midwest Veg Guide

Podcast summary generated using Claude.ai

Topics Covered:

• 00:00:29 - Iowa Weather History (January 27-28, 1977): The devastating 1977 blizzard that struck northern and eastern Iowa with winds up to 55 mph, 6-foot snow drifts, and wind chills dropping to negative 60 to negative 90

• 00:01:32 - Weekly Weather Forecast: Warming trend ahead with temperatures climbing from teens/20s to the 30s by Monday/Tuesday; quiet storm track with most action on southern and eastern coasts of the country

• 00:02:32 - Extended Climate Outlook (6-14 Days & Beyond): February 2-10 looking warm and dry for upper Midwest; discussion of Arctic Oscillation Index and its role in predicting cold air outbreaks 2-3 weeks in advance

• 00:06:35 - February Weather Predictions: Analysis of weak La Niña patterns, snowpack comparisons (Siberia vs. Europe), and potential for more cold outbreaks and snowfall in second-half of February due to meridional flow

• 00:09:02 - December 2025 & Year in Review: December was 65th coldest on record; November-December was 6th snowiest combined period in 130 years; 2025 was 25th warmest year on record with 2020s being warmest decade for Iowa

• 00:12:24 - Climate Change & Polar Vortex Connection: How warming Arctic (3x faster than mid-latitudes) leads to more extreme cold air outbreaks; Des Moines is 5 degrees warmer in winter than 30 years ago; explanation of jet stream meanders and persistent weather patterns

• 00:15:30 - Arctic Sea Ice & Feedback Loops: Discussion of albedo/reflectivity, salinity changes in Arctic Ocean, and how melting sea ice creates positive feedback warming cycle

• 00:16:54 - Future Temperature Projections (2050-2071): Models show 20-30 days of 95°+ temperatures in summer with heat indices reaching 125-140°F; cold outbreaks will be less frequent but more extreme

• 00:19:45 - Specialty Crop Impacts:

• 00:20:43 - Research Spotlight - Sumisansui Irrigation: Ben Phillips' (Michigan State) study on Japanese micro-perforation irrigation hoses; effectiveness for germination and cooling; limitations with wind susceptibility and vegetation blocking

• 00:24:07 - Broccoli Production Master Class: Thomas Bjorkman's comprehensive presentation covering hollow stem issues, variety selection, spacing strategies, and the unique challenge of cooling meristematic tissue that generates heat even after harvest

• 00:27:40 - Organic Veg Production Conference: Highlights from online conference including Flint Wiswall's (Cate Farm) innovative bench-moving systems for transplant production

• 00:29:21 - Looking Ahead: Preview of next episode - the annual "best and worst" superlatives show recording from Iowa Specialty Producers Conference in late February

Episode summary generated using claude.ai