Nebraska CropWatch

Highlights include record temperatures and fire danger risk this weekend, chances for widespread precipitation next Tuesday-Wednesday, and possible cool snap late next week.

In this edition of the Fridays with a Scientist series, Dr. Caro Cordova discusses the roots of her passion for soil, why soil health is critical for agriculture and steps producers in Nebraska and elsewhere can take to improve soil health.

Highlights include severe storm and rainfall potential in the next 48 hours, recent precipitation and drought monitor update, vegetation conditions, and thoughts on corn yield numbers in the state this year.

In today's episode Dr. Dave Gosselin, director of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program at UNL, and two students (Abigail Schroeder and Emma Kurtz) join the podcast to talk about an integrated waste-energy program in Norfolk, NE and what the barriers are to more widespread adoption of the approach. We also had some discussion on recycling, biochar uses, electric vehicle readiness and the existing incentives from NPPD for electrification. Acknowledgements to Project Energy Nebraska and Conservation Nebraska.

Thoughts on precipitation amounts in the next 24 hours, beautiful weekend and early next week forthcoming, scattered showers/storms later next week and potential for more widespread precipitation next weekend. Also a look at the latest U.S. Drought Monitor and soil moisture. 

In this episode, Dr. Tricia Parker shares results of her research that demonstrates that irrigation has a defined impact on our weather during the growing season.

Highlights include a promising chance of rain this weekend, cooler temperatures next week, record short-term dryness in northeast Nebraska, and pasture conditions going the wrong way.

In this episode of Fridays with a Scientist, Becky Kern from NWS-Omaha joins me to talk about heat waves and why the wet bulb global temperature may be the best index to determine heat danger levels.