Press release originally published HERE WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), with support from the United Soybean Board, has launched the Ag Climate Dashboard — a centralized digital hub offering streamlined access to integrated climate and agricultural data and decision-support tools for producers, advisors and researchers in the Midwest. Designed to support on-farm decision-making, the Ag…Read more about New Ag Climate Dashboard Makes Climate Resources More Accessible for Midwest Farmers[Read More]

The heat and humidity have returned to the state, as heat indices soared above 100°F on Wednesday and Thursday (July 23-24) this week. The National Weather Service issued heat advisories that spanned from northeast Texas to northeast Ohio on July 24. Over the last 7-day period (July 16-22), average temperatures ranged from near normal in…Read more about Hot and Humid Weather Persists, but a Cool Down is Expected During the First Week of August[Read More]

One heat wave down, more to come.  It is summer, though, so aside from expecting plenty of hot days, the primary concern is that reference (or potential) evapotranspiration (ET) significantly exceeds precipitation, which would ultimately lead to drought-related impacts.  The National Weather Service provides a 7-day forecast reference ET product as well as a 7-day…Read more about More Heat on the Way[Read More]

I couldn’t think of a better title this week, thanks to the hot weather we’ve been experiencing and the song by Arrow. While some people enjoy the heat and humidity, I must admit that I don’t find it overly pleasant. Over the past few days, average temperatures have ranged from 6 to 13°F above normal,…Read more about Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot[Read More]

We’ve made it! Meteorological summer started on June 1, but the official start of summer isn’t until June 20. The days are longer, temperatures have risen, and my allergies are in full swing. I let the dogs out last night, and there was still quite a bit of light in the sky just before 10:00…Read more about Meteorological Summer Has Arrived[Read More]

Welcome to the start of Hurricane Season, which runs from June through November each year.  Why would Indiana care about hurricane season?  Certainly, by the time any hurricane might impact the state, it will have been greatly downgraded to what is called an extratropical (i.e., poleward of the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° north latitude)) storm…Read more about It’s a Hazy Shade of …. June[Read More]

Precipitation in May has varied tremendously, but most of the state has generally been on the dry side. Areas from Vermillion and Parke Counties to Lake Michigan have received between 25% and 75% of the normal precipitation through May 27 (Figure 1). Conditions were dry enough that thunderstorm winds on May 16 prompted the National…Read more about Will May’s Mixed Precipitation and Temperatures Persist into June?[Read More]

The last few weeks have been on the drier side, particularly for northwestern and west-central Indiana (Figure 1).  While temperatures have been seasonal, they are still gradually increasing as we approach summer.  Therefore, evapotranspiration rates are starting to increase.  This has resulted in the U.S. Drought Monitor classifying much of northern Indiana as Abnormally Dry…Read more about A Bit of Rain Coming Our Way[Read More]