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July 31, 2025

Corn Sweat & Other Weather Weirdness You Won't Believe...

Corn Sweats


Hey there, Fact Fans-

Ever walk outside in the Midwest in July and instantly feel like you're swimming through soup? Your shirt clings. Your skin sticks. The air feels thicker. Sure, it's hot-but it's not just the heat.

It's corn sweat. Yes, that's a real thing. And it's as Midwestern as fireworks on the Fourth or a Casey's breakfast pizza.

Let's break it down.

"Corn Sweats": The Midwest's Secret Sauna
In the heart of the U.S. Corn Belt-think Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and parts of Nebraska and Missouri-millions of acres of corn are doing more than just growing tall.

During peak summer months, each corn plant can release up to 4 gallons of water a day into the air through a process called transpiration. This is how plants "sweat"-releasing water vapor from their leaves to stay cool. Multiply that by millions of stalks and you've got yourself a muggy mess.

Meteorologists have a name for this localized humidity boost: the corn sweat effect.

This isn't just some fun ag-lingo either. It's legit science. The increase in atmospheric moisture from all that transpiration can raise dew points, making the air feel much hotter and more humid than it otherwise would. That's why even a 90°F day can feel like 105°F in the cornfields.

So if you're in the Midwest, and your shirt's soaked before breakfast? Don't blame your metabolism. Blame the corn.

More Weather Weirdness You Probably Didn't Learn in School

Fish Rain


Now that you're sweating from the ears, let's cool off with some equally bizarre weather facts:

Snow Can Be Too Cold to Fall
It's true. When temperatures drop below -40°F, there's often less snow-not more. Why? Because snow needs moisture to form, and at super-cold temperatures, the air can't hold enough water vapor to make flakes. That's why some of the coldest places on Earth (like Antarctica) are technically deserts.

Lightning Can Strike... the Same Place, Twice (and Then Some)
You've heard the saying "lightning never strikes the same place twice," right? Total myth.

The Empire State Building gets struck about 23 times a year. And yes, it's still standing. In fact, tall structures and metal objects are more likely to get struck multiple times, not less.


Offer Bug


Winds Once Blew Fish Out of the Sky
In 1947, the town of Marksville, Louisiana, was rained on by fish. A waterspout (basically a tornado over water) sucked up a school of small fish from a nearby bayou and dropped them several miles inland. People reported fish flopping in fields and on rooftops.

Weird? Yes. But not isolated. Similar "animal rains" have occurred around the world-with frogs, jellyfish, and even spiders.

The Largest Hailstone Was the Size of a Volleyball
On July 23, 2010, a hailstone the size of a volleyball (8 inches in diameter!) fell in Vivian, South Dakota. It weighed nearly 2 pounds and left divots in the ground like a meteorite. Imagine that plunking down on your car roof-or worse, your head. Hard pass.

The Wind Can Literally Make You Explode (Sort Of)
Back in 1942, a man in Scotland was caught in a freak wind gust that knocked him out. When he came to, he realized the pressure had ruptured his eardrums and brace yourself... forced air into his abdomen through his rectum. Doctors said it was like a human whoopee cushion.

Did he survive? Yep. Would he walk differently after that? Also yep.

Final Forecast: Embrace the Weird
Weather isn't just something to complain about while waiting in line-it's full of strange science, folklore, and facts that seem too bizarre to be real.

So the next time you check the weather app and see "Feels like 108" in Des Moines, just remember: that might be the corn talking.

Stay cool, stay curious, and maybe pack an umbrella. Or a volleyball helmet. You never know.

Until next time, keep your eyes on the skies-
The Random Fact Team
Always Random. Never boring.