🌱 US Weather Warriors GrowCast — Thursday, July 23, 2026
Flood headlines and saturated ground rule the day, even as most Delmarva stays rain-free this afternoon.
Today's Weather Snapshot: Lows in the low 60s, highs from the upper 70s along the coast to mid 80s inland. Mostly rain-free north of the Bay Bridge; Cape Charles still carries a 69% PoP under the flood watch. Winds near 10-15 mph. Dewpoints high and humidity near saturation at several stations — muggy start.
Soil & Recent Rainfall: 2-inch soil temps averaged 75°F across six DEOS stations (range 73-77°F). Up to 0.93 inch fell in the last 24 hours at Georgetown, with wet topsoil flagged at DGES and DLAU. Topsoil is saturated across most of the peninsula; only DAGF reads dry.
Best Outdoor Work Window: Late morning through early afternoon on higher, better-drained ground. Skip low spots entirely — flood watches and a flash flood warning are still active.
Planting & Transplanting: Planting window is Delay. Soils are warm enough for anything (well above the 60-65°F threshold), but they're too wet to work without smearing and compaction. Hold tender transplants until the ground firms up.
Watering & Irrigation: No irrigation anywhere on Delmarva today. With up to nearly an inch already down and more storm chances in the pattern, let the profile drain before you even think about the hose.
For Gardeners: Scout tomatoes and cucurbits for early blight, downy mildew, and split fruit after the heavy rain — humidity near 100% at some sites is disease weather. Stake and tie anything leaning before the next storm rolls through. Harvest ripe fruit promptly; sitting wet on the vine invites rot.
For Farmers & Growers: Field access is Poor and thunderstorm risk is Elevated — no tillage, no spraying, no hay on the ground. Wind near 15 mph and pop-up storms make spray windows unreliable even where canopy is dry. Use the day for equipment prep, scouting, and tile/ditch checks.
Looking Ahead (6-10 day signal): CPC 6-10 and 8-14 both lean above normal for temperature and precipitation; drought monitor shows no drought across DE, MD, or VA.
Bottom Line: Stay off wet ground, skip irrigation, and let the flood threat clear before restarting fieldwork.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #GardenWeather #FarmWeather