🌱 US Weather Warriors GrowCast — 2026-05-20
Heat Advisory in effect with low-90s, high humidity, and scattered thunderstorms threatening the afternoon work window.
Today's Weather Snapshot: Highs 91-94°F inland, 74-78°F at the immediate coast; overnight lows near 59°F. Heat Advisory active with humid air and PoP up to 85% north (Wilmington, Dover). Winds near 10-15 mph inland, gusting to 21-22 mph along the coast. Thunderstorm chances elevated; WPC signals heavy rainfall potential nearby.
Soil & Recent Rainfall: DEOS 2-inch soil temps run 68.8-75.2°F (avg 71.7°F) across six stations. No measurable rainfall in the past 24 hours; topsoil is neither flagged wet nor dry.
Best Outdoor Work Window: Get outside early — before 10 AM — to stay ahead of the heat and afternoon storm chances. Shut down by midday once heat index climbs and storms fire.
Planting & Transplanting: Hold off on tender transplants until the storm and heat pattern eases. Soil is plenty warm (well above the 60-65°F threshold for tomato, pepper, and squash), so once the weather trend improves, warm-season transplants will take hold quickly.
Watering & Irrigation: Hold irrigation today — storms with heavy rainfall potential are in the forecast. Reassess tomorrow morning after rain totals are known.
For Gardeners: Mulch tomatoes, peppers, and cucurbits now to buffer roots against the 90s and conserve moisture. Water any container plantings early in the morning, and stake or cage tall plants before gusty storm winds arrive. Skip transplanting flats today — heat plus storm risk will set them back.
For Farmers & Growers: Field workability is poor with thunderstorms and gusty winds in play; spray windows are essentially closed today given the wind and PoP. If hay is down, expect it to stay down — plan around the next dry slot rather than today. Check low spots and drainage ahead of any heavy cells.
Looking Ahead (6-10 day signal): CPC 6-10 and 8-14 day both lean above normal for temperature and precipitation; no drought across DE, MD, or VA.
Bottom Line: Hot, humid, and stormy — work early, hold sprays and transplants, and let the rain do the watering.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #GardenWeather #FarmWeather