9/2/26 - Fruit Farm Progress Show

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 persistent ridge favors heat and relative dryness farther south, while storm tracks ride around its northern edge.

00:04:16 — Extended outlook for September 7–13: above-normal temperatures favored across Iowa, with near-normal precipitation expectations.

00:04:47 — Seasonal market note: continued summerlike heat may support watermelon demand longer than typical fall-oriented sales.

00:06:09 — Preview of next week's meteorological summer recap and the Summer Glory Index outcome.

00:06:33 — Last week's Iowa weather: scattered rain and storms in northern Iowa, dry conditions in several southern areas, a high of 96°F at Lamoni, a low of 48°F at Lake Park and Spencer Municipal Airport, and Rock Rapids' 1.3-inch precipitation total.

00:07:35 — Vegetable crop update: timing for oats-and-peas cover crops, plus considerations for daikon radish and brassica disease management.

00:09:08 — Disease observations in watermelon and brassicas: possible gummy stem blight in watermelon and reports of Xanthomonas leaf spot and black rot in kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.

00:10:48 — Randall Vos joins from the Farm Progress Show to discuss fruit-crop conditions across Iowa.

00:10:56 — Strawberry and tree-fruit season review: weather extremes, frost, rain, disease, uneven fruit set, and thrips pressure contributed to a challenging year.