‘Corn Fog’ Phenomenon Leads to Eerie Nights in Indiana

You've heard of corn sweat, but what about "corn fog"?

I promise, I'm not just making these terms up! According to Indiana meteorologists the we're currently experiencing peak corn sweat season which is driving up humidity levels across the Hoosier State.

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But what's fog got to do with it?

I consider myself to be somewhat of a weather nerd but this whole concept of corn fog is news to me! Here's how corn actually fuels summer humidity in Indiana:

Corn sweat is simply just trapped moisture that is released by mature stalks of corn in an attempt to cool itself down. Just like how we humans sweat in an attempt to cool ourselves down via evaporation! I guess corn gets hot too.

And just think about all that moisture coming from the irrigation equipment in the fields, like pivots-- it all has to go somewhere!  According to the National Weather Service in South Dakota,

A single acre of corn can give off 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water per day

Corn fog, I'm learning, is also a byproduct of this phenomenon which often transpires during the twilight and early morning hours. Explains the Indiana Weather Network,

Thin layers of "Advection Fog" can form on calm, humid evenings in Indiana, especially near corn fields! Corn transpires the most at night through a process termed evapotranspiration! This extra water vapor in the air can cool and condense into fog under the right conditions. (And the air smells like corn)

So that explains the eerie sensation of encountering random clouds of fog and mist during late night travels through the back country roads. I always found that to be super unsettling. No, you're not in a horror movie-- it's just corn fog!