News

Iowa climatologist on smoke and El Nino

Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada continues to push into the Midwest, creating hazy conditions and reducing sunlight.

But according to Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor, unless it continues for several days, it won’t have much impact on crop development.

“Unless this goes on with at least as much darkening as we had yesterday and today (Tuesday), it will not be a significant thing,” Taylor says. “It is really rare in the Corn Belt to have sunlight limited to the point that it does affect crop yield.”

El Nino continues to be the main weather factor in the Midwest, Taylor says.

“The major thing about an El Nino is that we do not have oppressively hot temperatures in the Corn Belt during an El Nino year,” he says. “That is the reason that there is a 70 percent chance of an above-trend (corn) yield.”

Taylor says we’ll know a lot more about this year’s crop three weeks from now, “after the corn is all pollinated and has made it through, either for good, better, average or worse.

“It’s the most crucial time—pollination time—usually in the first 2 ½ week of July.”

For his part, Taylor predicts a national average corn yield of 170 bushels per acre.

AUDIO: Elwynn Taylor