🌱 US Weather Warriors GrowCast — 2026-05-18
Heat builds across Delmarva with highs near 95°F, gusty winds, and thunderstorm chances rising into the afternoon.
Today's Weather Snapshot: Lows in the upper 60s to low 70s, highs from the low 80s at the coast to the mid-90s inland. Mostly dry PoPs (under 15%), but WPC and the AFD flag heavy rainfall and thunderstorm potential. Winds near 10-20 mph, strongest along the bayshore and Atlantic. Dewpoints are high — RH at DEOS sites ran 84-99% overnight, so it will feel oppressive once the sun climbs.
Soil & Recent Rainfall: 2-inch soil temps average 66°F across six DEOS sites (range 62-71°F). No measurable rain in the past 24 hours at any reporting station.
Best Outdoor Work Window: Get heavy work done before 10 AM. After that, heat stress climbs fast and storm chances build through the afternoon.
Planting & Transplanting: Soils are warm enough for tomatoes, peppers, and squash (avg 66°F, well above the 60-65°F threshold), but the rule today is Delay — hold tender transplants until the heat spike and storm risk pass. Direct-seeding cool-season crops at this point is a losing bet with highs near 95°F.
Watering & Irrigation: Hold off on irrigation. Soils aren't dry, humidity is near saturation overnight, and storms are in play — let the atmosphere do the work and reassess Tuesday.
For Gardeners: Mulch any exposed beds today to buffer the heat shock on already-established plants. Water containers and new transplants early morning only, and stake anything tall before the wind and storms arrive. Skip mowing during the hottest hours — both for the turf and for you.
For Farmers & Growers: Field workability is poor with marginal winds and elevated thunderstorm risk; spray windows are narrow and best confined to early morning before gusts pick up. Hold off on hay cuts — storm timing is too uncertain to lay grass down. Heat advisories are up north of us; keep crews hydrated and rotate tasks.
Looking Ahead (6-10 day signal): CPC 6-10 day leans above-normal temperatures; drought monitor shows no drought across DE, MD, or VA.
Bottom Line: Hot, humid, and storm-prone — work early, hold the transplants, and skip the irrigation.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #GardenWeather #FarmWeather