Is the Corn Sweat Phenomenon Happening in Colorado?

Recently, an unusual term called "corn sweat" has been making the rounds on social media, as people point out this unique phenomenon that's taking place in various places across the country. But what is corn sweat, and is it happening here in Colorado too?

Corn sweat is a normal process that occurs when plants release moisture into the air through evapotranspiration. To break it down, corn stalks absorb moisture through their root systems, use that water to create food for themselves/keep cool, and then release it in the form of vapor to complete the process and distribute nutrients.

Corn sweat is usually observed late in the growing season, but it's more noticeable during hot and humid months. That's because, during summer heat waves, corn sweat can actually give a boost to humidity, making the temperature outside feel even hotter.

A single acre of corn can give off 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water per day. With more than 90 million acres of corn nationwide, that's a lot of sweat produced - especially when the weather has been so hot these past few weeks.

Although there are hundreds of acres of sweet corn growing in Colorado, it's mostly a dry climate, with very low levels of humidity. Therefore, the Centennial State doesn't feel or see the effects of corn sweat as strongly as other states do. However, that doesn't mean that it's not happening here.

Corn sweat's impact on weather is more noticeable in the Midwest. As some of the biggest corn producers in the country, states like Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois are definitely feeling the effects of corn sweat this summer. Added moisture in the air increases already high dew points in these places, making it feel even more humid on a localized scale.

According to Lew Ziska, an associate professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University, corn sweat is a direct effect of climate change. As the planet continues to get hotter, plants are losing more water.