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PODCAST

What in the Weather?

Dan Fillius; Justin Glisan; Madelynn Wuestenberg

This one"s for you if you want to understand weather better! Join Dan Fillius, Iowa State University Extension Horticulture Field Specialist, and Dr. Justin Glisan, Iowa"s State Climatologist, as they discuss what is happening in the world of Iowa weather. Every week during the main growing season we"ll discuss recent weather, its impacts on fruits and vegetables, and provide a climate outlook for the coming week in Iowa. Let us know what you think, though as Mark Twain once said, "If you don"t like

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All Episodes

17:27

9/29/26 - Maybe the Wettest September on Record

What in the Weather? ·

2026/09/29

[00:00:31] Iowa weather history: a look back at late-September 1985, when widespread rain, sleet, and snow occurred across Iowa, including trace snowfall in Des Moines. [00:01:26] Forecast headline: widespread rainfall continues through Thursday night, fueled by tropical moisture associated with Hurricane Polo's remnants, monsoonal moisture, and a larger-scale low-pressure system. [00:02:00] Pattern change ahead: sunshine, daytime temperatures in the 60s, overnight lows in the 40s, and a drier, less

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27:20

9/24/26 - A "Wretched" Summer and "San Diego, IA"

What in the Weather? ·

2026/09/24

[00:00:34] Iowa weather history: Justin looks back at September 24, 1985, when snowflakes mixed with rain in Des Moines—among the earliest observations of snow in Iowa history. [00:01:19] Weather trivia: Which Iowa sector is most vulnerable to climate variability impacts? [00:01:44] Forecast headline: "endless wet": The team discusses a soggy seven-day outlook, including at least 1.5 inches of statewide precipitation and possible 2–4 inch totals south of a Des Moines-to-Sioux City line. [00:02:50]

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36:21

9/17/26 - Iowa El Niño Outlook

What in the Weather? ·

2026/09/17

00:00:42 — Iowa weather history for September 17: a dramatic 1912 transition from record late-season heat to early snow and flurries. 00:01:17 — Weather trivia: How does Des Moines precipitation from September 1–14 rank historically? 00:02:22 — Near-term Iowa forecast: continued chances for rain and thunderstorms through Monday, with the heaviest potential rainfall in northeastern Iowa and a marginal severe-weather risk from southwest into central Iowa Friday night into Saturday. 00:03:44 — CPC 8-

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20:21

9/10/26 - Meteorological Summer Recap

What in the Weather? ·

2026/09/10

[00:00:27] This Day in Iowa Weather History: Early frost event of September 10, 1976; record lows across multiple stations. [00:01:27] Short-term outlook: No frost risk for Iowa in the next week; 8–14 day hazards show cold risk only in northern Minnesota/Dakotas. [00:01:47] 7-day forecast headline: Shift to widespread low-pressure systems and fronts; 0.75–2 inches of rain possible; temps cooling toward or slightly below normal. [00:02:39] Extended outlook: 6–10 day (Sept 15–19) leans warm/wet; 8–14

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09:11

Bonus Episode: Dr. Ajay Nair - The Future of Iowa...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/09/04

I caught up with Dr. Ajay Nair at the 2026 Farm Progress Show in Boone, IA. He shared with me his vision for Horticulture at Iowa State University and in the state of Iowa.

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17:10

9/2/26 - Fruit Farm Progress Show

What in the Weather? ·

2026/09/02

00:00:08 — Welcome to What in the Weather?, recorded from the Farm Progress Show. 00:00:33 — Iowa weather history: the damaging, unusually early statewide frost of September 1, 1859, following late spring frosts and affecting crops including corn, buckwheat, and sorghum. 00:02:04 — Week-ahead forecast: hot, humid conditions, with "ridge rider" thunderstorms bringing a localized risk of heavier rain, especially across northern and northwest Iowa. 00:03:10 — Heat Dome "Fiero" ;-) discussion: a

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21:41

8/27/26 - When is Black Rot not Black Rot?

What in the Weather? ·

2026/08/27

Find full show notes at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/commercialhort/82726-notes-what-weather 00:00:32 Iowa weather history: Heavy thunderstorms in 1903 produced extraordinary rainfall totals across southern Iowa, including an unofficial 14.61 inches at Woodburn. 00:01:26 Weather trivia: What causes the reddish, coppery appearance of the Moon during a lunar eclipse? 00:02:00 Weekly forecast: A quieter storm track overall, better rain chances Saturday, slight chances early next week, and

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28:00

8/19/26 - A bit more rain today, then maybe it'll dry...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/08/19

[00:00:51] Iowa weather history for August 19: A destructive 1898 severe-weather event brought straight-line winds, hail, heavy rain, property damage, and fatalities across northwestern Iowa. [00:02:00] Why thunderstorms can occur overnight and in the early morning: Justin explains the role of the nocturnal low-level jet, moisture transport, ridge riders, and heat-dome patterns. [00:03:55] Weather trivia: Is it safe to park beneath an overpass during a storm? [00:04:37] Short-term forecast:

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31:19

8/12/26 - Ridge Riders: Mount Up

What in the Weather? ·

2026/08/12

00:00:25 — Iowa weather history: two violent 1974 tornadoes caused F4 damage in eastern Iowa. 00:01:31 — Weather trivia asks listeners to identify the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the United States. 00:01:51 — Near-term forecast: an active "ring of fire" pattern brings widespread thunderstorm chances for the next four to five days, followed by a quieter, seasonable start to next week. 00:02:29 — Rainfall outlook and forecasting explained: model ensembles suggest broad totals of

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24:46

8/5/26 - Wet areas staying wet, Dry areas staying dry

What in the Weather? ·

2026/08/05

[00:00:08] August 5 Iowa weather history segment, including a severe 1989 thunderstorm complex and derecho discussion. [00:01:35] Madelynn shares the weather trivia question: Does Iowa get more than 40% of its annual precipitation in its 10 wettest days? [00:02:03] Justin gives the upcoming forecast headline: rain chances easing, then a return to mid- to upper-80s temperatures. [00:05:03] Madelynn reviews the 8-to-14-day and one-month Climate Prediction Center outlooks, which lean warmer and

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25:39

7/29/26 - Hot and muggy, then rain, then normal temps...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/07/29

00:00:08–00:02:00: Dan and Justin discuss the first recorded tornado damage in Iowa history from 1804. 00:02:00–00:04:05: The team previews the coming week's forecast, including heat, muggy conditions, wildfire smoke, and a rain system that could bring widespread rainfall. 00:02:41–00:03:55: Madelynn introduces the weekly trivia question about which RAGBRAI year had the most hours with a heat index above 85 degrees, with a note that Des Moines data is being used as a proxy. 00:04:05–00:08:24:

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31:23

7/23/26 - Temps will ramp up. Fun facts about Purslane.

What in the Weather? ·

2026/07/23

00:00:31 Iowa weather history: July 23, 2010 flooding and Delhi dam failure 00:02:03 Trivia question on severe weather warnings in Iowa 00:02:39 Weekly forecast: hot, humid conditions with highs in the mid to upper 90s 00:03:02 Rain outlook: scattered storms, potential for localized heavy rain, low severe risk 00:04:31 Climate Prediction Center outlook: above-normal temps, below-normal precipitation trends 00:05:55 Extended outlooks: limited signals; slight precipitation increase for August

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29:56

7/8/26 - Staying Hot, Drying Out

What in the Weather? ·

2026/07/08

It's Swass season, y'all. 00:00:49 – This Day in Iowa Weather History: the 1984 temperature swing from 35°F frost at Elkader to 100°F at Shenandoah in 24 hours 01:19 – Weekly trivia question introduced: what's Iowa's record 24-hour precipitation total? 03:15 – Weather forecast headline: slight severe storm risk overnight, hot and mostly dry week ahead with highs in the low-to-mid 90s 04:12 – Extended climate outlook: hot and dry pattern dominates 6-10 day, and 8-14 day outlooks, with a Level 3 heat

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26:00

Bonus Episode: Predicting Pest Arrival using VDIFN,...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/07/01

Resources: VDIFN Tool Ari's tutorial on YouTube for visual aids VDIFN User's Manual Crop Risk Tool [00:00:08] Dan introduces the episode, recorded in advance while he's away, featuring guest Ari Abbrescia, Organic and Sustainable Agricultural Outreach Specialist with UW-Madison Extension. [00:00:48] Ari provides an overview of the VDIFN (Vegetable Disease and Insect Forecasting Network), including its creators — Dr. Amanda Gevens, Dr. Russ Groves, and Ben Bradford — and its role in supporting

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19:39

6/23/26 - NW is still dry, SE is still wet

What in the Weather? ·

2026/06/23

Welcome & Iowa Weather History: The 1952 F4 Tornado and the Train that raced to outrun it [00:00:07] 7-Day Weather Forecast: Quieter Pattern, QPF Totals, and Warming Trend [00:01:15] Ring of Fire & Ridge Riders: How the Setup Affects Iowa Rain Chances [00:02:13] 8–14 Day & Monthly Climate Outlooks: Warm Signal, Near-Normal Precip, and El Niño Influence [00:02:39] 8–14 Day Hazards: Slight Risk for High Temps and Heavy Precip in Southern Iowa [00:04:45] Northwest Iowa Dryness vs. Southeast

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29:41

6/17/26 - Recap of Heavy Rain, Large Hail, and High...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/06/17

Episode Summary 00:00:32 – Iowa weather history: a severe 1978 thunderstorm with softball-sized hail and damaging winds from Sioux City to Webster City 00:01:09 – Follow-up on the latest recorded frost in Iowa history (June 22, 1902, in Columbus Junction) and the cooler global climate trends of that era 00:02:21 – Weekly forecast: continued active weather, more rain Saturday night into Sunday, near-normal temperatures trending slightly cooler next week, and comfortable dew points 00:03:34 –

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17:45

6/10/26 - 2026 Meteorological Spring Recap

What in the Weather? ·

2026/06/10

[00:00:42] This day in Iowa weather history: a late freeze in 1928 brought 32°F lows to Decorah and frost across the state [00:01:22] Weekend forecast: a break from the heat is coming, but severe weather is likely — enhanced risk (3 of 5) for much of Iowa, with 3–5 inches of rain possible in the southern third of the state [00:03:15] Climate outlook 6–10 days (June 15–19): 60–70% chance of below-normal temperatures for northern Iowa [00:04:24] Climate outlook 8–14 days (June 17–23): continued

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23:02

6/3/26 - Pesticide Rotation Strategies and Even More...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/06/03

[00:00:30] This day in Iowa weather history: the devastating 1860 tornado outbreak across central and eastern Iowa that killed at least 134 people and left 2,500 homeless [00:02:44] Weekly weather forecast: rain chances Thursday and Friday, ¾"–1.5" possible; highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s [00:03:35] 8–14 day outlook (June 10–16): above-normal temperatures, slightly wetter conditions; slight risk of hazardous temperatures June 10–11 [00:04:08] One-month outlook for June: leaning slightly

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11:51

5/26/26 - Drier and warmer ahead, FSMA Inspection...

What in the Weather? ·

2026/05/26

[00:00:52] On this day in Iowa weather history: 6.5 inches of rain fell in 2½ hours in Wesley, Kossuth County on May 25–26, 1991, damaging 80% of homes [00:01:22] Week-ahead forecast: Sunny skies, temperatures in the 80s, quiet storm track — little to no precipitation expected [00:02:01] 8-to-14-day outlook (valid June 2–8): Below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures likely across Iowa [00:02:59] Climate normals reminder: Average highs low-to-mid 70s, overnight lows in the 50s, ~1¼–1½

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33:22

"A less stressful growing season" with El Nino this year

What in the Weather? ·

2026/05/20

00:00:35 Iowa weather history: May 1892 flooding and rare late-season snow/sleet event 00:01:17 Weekly forecast: Cooler with rain chances Thu–Fri, warming into Memorial Day weekend 00:01:40 Rainfall outlook: Light to moderate precipitation, heaviest in southwest Iowa 00:02:03 Frost update: No widespread frost, but isolated 32°F readings reported 00:02:20 8–14 day outlook: Strong signal for above-normal temperatures; slightly drier east, near-normal west 00:03:37 3–4 week outlook: Continued

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