The months-long drought may soon impact fall allergy sufferers in Iowa. Agronomist Robert Hartzler, at Iowa State University, says the weather has a direct impact on pollen counts that trigger allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny noses and red, teary eyes. Hartzler says any time we don’t get rain for a while, it allows the pollen to be released in the atmosphere and it hangs around for a longer period of time. Ragweed is native to Iowa, but Hartzler says it traditionally hasn’t grown very well among row crops. He says those plants are now adapting to Iowa’s cornfields and they’re becoming more widespread. Hartzler says it may get worse in future years.

“There is some evidence that with climate change, the ragweeds are better adapted to the warmer temperatures than other plants, so there is some evidence to suggest that pollen counts could increase in the future because of the increasing temperatures we’re expected to see,” Hartzler says. Relief for allergy sufferers isn’t likely until the first frost. He says there’s been enough rain for weeds to grow, but not enough to knock down the pollen. “Rainfall is excellent at washing (pollen) out of the air, it also saturates ragweed flowers so pollen can’t be released,” Hartzler says. “Rain does help the weeds grow, but we’ve got enough moisture in most of the state to allow the weeds to do well.”

He says the amount of pollen in the air has also been boosted by higher temperatures this year. “They’re higher earlier in the year because of the summer we’ve had,” Hartzler says. “The ragweed started growing earlier because of the warm temperatures in the spring. So we have high counts earlier this year than typical.” It may be just the beginning. Hartzler says there’s evidence global warming may be promoting ragweed growth.

(Radio Iowa)

Shelby County Emergency Management Director Bob Seivert says the Fire Danger situation is very dangerous, and no open burning of any kind is permitted. Farm and harvest operators should take extra precautions, according to Seivert, so that the spread of fire can be controlled, and you will know that extra help is on the way if it is needed.

Seivert says fire extinguishers should be in every combine, and tractors equipped with plows should be standing-by, ready to build a fire break. The local fire danger signs will remain in the EXTREME category in Shelby County until further notice, and Red Flag Warnings are expected to be issued for this afternoon and Tuesday, as strong southerly winds, low humidity and dry field conditions are able to create explosive fire growth.

Here’s the Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic…

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COUNTIES IN IOWA: EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-CRAWFORD-CARROLL- GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS–HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE

433 AM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS….FROM 1:00-PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL 7:00-PM TUESDAY EVENING.

SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH…WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH,  ALONG WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT…AND FIELD CROPS WHICH ARE NEARLY CURED AND HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE  COULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION…THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER. IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON…RAPID FIRE GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

357 AM CDT MON SEP 10 2012/ National Weather Service – Des Moines

TODAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TONIGHT…CLEAR…WARMER. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TUESDAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 90S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY…SHOWERS LIKELY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S.

Today:  Sunny with a high near 79.  Northwest winds 15 MPH gusting to as high as 25 MPH.

Tonight:  Clear with a low a low around 42.

Sunday:  Sunny with a nigh near 75.

Sunday night:  Clear with a low around 47.

Monday:  Sunny with a high around 83.

Tuesday:  Sunny with a high near 91.

The (Podcast) forecast for the KJAN listening area from Freese-Notis, and weather data for Atlantic…

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ST. LOUIS (AP) – The worst drought in the United States in decades may already have done its damage to the nation’s corn crop now being harvested. But growers say their soybeans may turn out far better. Near Coulterville in southwestern Illinois, Dean Campbell concedes that Tropical Storm Isaac’s remnants “blessed us with some water.” But that won’t save his 900-acre corn crop that’s averaging just about one-tenth of his normal yield with harvesting less than halfway done.  But he says he expects “a reasonable crop” from his still-maturing 1,100 acres of soybeans.

Near Corning, Iowa, Ray Gaesser got nothing from Isaac for his 3,000 acres of corn, which he foresees producing about 60 to 70 percent of normal. But he believes his soybeans could yield some 90 percent of what he’s typically get.

359 AM CDT FRI SEP 7 2012

TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON THEN BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY…COOLER. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING. SHOWERS LIKELY BEFORE NOON…THEN ISOLATED SHOWERS EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. NORTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 60 PERCENT.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. COLDER. LOW IN THE LOWER 40S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

SATURDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT…CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S. NORTH WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

SUNDAY…SUNNY. HIGH AROUND 80. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON.

SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S.

MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S. HIGH

IN THE UPPER 80S.

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