While our daytime highs across the state have been in the upper 70s, our nighttime lows have been in the 40s. This is a great time to start thinking about the timing of the first frost and freeze events of the season when the 7-day average 4-inch soil temperature falls before 50°F, and the viability[Read More…]
Climate and Weather
From September 19th through 25th, Indiana was fortunate to receive between a quarter inch to almost three inches of precipitation (Figure 1). This seemed to be a sight for many a sore eye since it had been weeks since any appreciable rain had fallen. But was this enough for us to get out of drought[Read More…]
As September begins, we officially welcome meteorological fall. While the autumnal equinox isn’t until September 22, the past few mornings have already brought a crisp, fall-like feel to the air. Around town, fall decorations are starting to appear, and a few maple trees are showing early hints of color. My wife, however, is eagerly waiting[Read More…]
Pattern changes, like the one we’ve experienced in the middle of the month, are quite typical for August. The humidity decreases a bit, the soils dry out, and sometimes, as we’ve recently experienced, the temperatures drop quite dramatically. It can be refreshing and exciting for Fall lovers to experience some crisp, cool air in mid-August.[Read More…]
After a period of hot and humid weather where heat indices reached triple digits in some locations, we welcome cooler than normal temperatures for the next several days. It is still summer, though, so sweaters, mittens, and scarves will not be necessary! There were a few temperature records broken over the August 5-6, 2024, period,[Read More…]
Several weeks ago, Indiana received enough rain to eliminate drought across the state, leaving behind just a few counties in Abnormally Dry (D0) status. Fortunately, this week has been relatively quiet, allowing many areas to alleviate flooding issues. The U.S. Drought Monitor kept those Abnormally Dry areas nearly the same this week (Figure 1), so[Read More…]
The remnants of Hurricane Beryl brought much-needed rain to the state, although some areas experienced excessive totals. In addition, sporadic power outages were reported as a result of wind gusts exceeding 30 mph. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) volunteer network once again proved essential, with observations ranging from just under 0.4 inches[Read More…]
Last week, temperatures were higher than normal, and the lack of precipitation was causing lawns to turn brown, creek and lake levels to drop, and some crops to start showing stress. The U.S. Drought Monitor introduced Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions across much of the state with concerns that a drought could be right around the[Read More…]
It seems the season has shifted abruptly from wet to dry. Over the past week, we’ve begun to hear reports typically associated with hot and dry conditions. At the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center, we conduct side-by-side comparisons of different fruiting vegetables under varying irrigation treatments. This article summarizes our observations on how different fruiting vegetable[Read More…]
Meteorological spring (March-May) roared to a close on May 31, and the data is in—it was the 26th wettest on record in 130 years of records, with 14.28 inches of precipitation statewide, over 1.5 inches above normal. At the local level, Fort Wayne had its 4th wettest meteorological spring on record, with 15.93 inches of[Read More…]