20 Occurrences of “Hurricane Force” Hit Iowa in July

The derecho and severe wind that moved across much of Iowa on July 11 made the news across much of the Midwest through late summer.  There was no denying the extent of storm damage this fall as many farmers made painstaking slow progress across their fields, using reels to limit harvest losses from downed corn.  That’s not surprising.

What is surprising, however, is to learn that there were actually 20 wind events of 75 knots (86.4 mph) or above across Iowa in the month of July.  Here’s how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describes such forceful winds:

High winds were only part of the story.  Farmers across Latham Country were also plagued by flooding, extremely hot last-summer temperatures, a lack of rainfall and an early frost.  When you consider all of the growing challenges, it’s no wonder many people are saying their 2011 crop was better than expected.
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Select a territory in the map below to view a region’s most recent crop report, provided by Latham’s regional sales managers.