Corn sweat is making the Midwest's humidity even worse

Corn — the Midwest's golden child — is making us all a little more miserable right now.

Driving the news: A heat dome encompassing most of the central U.S. this week is causing dangerously hot conditions, and "corn sweat" isn't making things much better.

State of play: Scientifically known as evapotranspiration, "corn sweat" is the process of corn releasing vapor into the air after absorbing water through its roots.

• The vapor is sticking around and contributing to the region's higher-than-normal moisture levels, National Weather Service meteorologist Rod Donavon tells Axios.
• While corn sweat is never the main reason for major heat, it can add to it.

The big picture: Even though states like Arizona may be the same temperature as Iowa right now, the humidity makes the heat feel significantly worse in the Midwest.

• Phoenix clocked in at 101° yesterday afternoon while its heat index felt the same. Meanwhile, Des Moines hit 97°, but the heat index was 114°, according to the NWS.