How crop, corn sweat increase humidity, heat in Canada [Video]

As the summer heat settles in, many Canadians will feel the above-average temperatures and thick humidity, Environment Canada forecasted in June. 

While sources of humidity often come from places like the Gulf of Mexico, the real culprit may be close to home — our own crops and vegetation.

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According to Environment and Climate Change Canada senior climatologist David Phillips, “evapotranspiration” or “crop sweat” is a major contributor to rising humidity levels and could fuel more extreme weather.

What is evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration is the process by which plants absorb water through their roots, use it to hydrate and cool themselves, and then release that moisture into the atmosphere through tiny pores on leaves known as “stomata.”

Phillips says this is similar to how humans sweat to regulate their body temperature. “All crops sweat, all crops evaporate.”

“If there is a good amount of moisture, almost [like] an engine goes on. Through photosynthesis the plants …