🌱 US Weather Warriors GrowCast — Friday, July 24, 2026
Muggy summer day with thunderstorm chances rising south, keeping field access and spray plans on hold.
Today's Weather Snapshot: Highs 76–85°F, lows near 63–72°F across the peninsula. Rain chances climb from near zero up north to 47% down at Cape Charles. Winds around 9–15 mph, gusty near storms. Humidity is high — dewpoints stay sticky through the day.
Soil & Recent Rainfall: 2-inch soil temps averaged 72.8°F (range 67.5–75.2°F) across six DEOS stations. No measurable rainfall in the last 24 hours; topsoils reporting on the dry side.
Best Outdoor Work Window: Morning is your window — northern Delaware stays driest longest. Lower Shore and Virginia Eastern Shore growers should wrap up before early afternoon storms.
Planting & Transplanting: Rule label says Delay — hold tender transplants despite soil temps well above the 60–65°F warm-season threshold. Storm timing and unsettled pattern aren't worth the risk of washouts on fresh sets.
Watering & Irrigation: Hold irrigation today. Even with dry topsoils on the DEOS network, storm chances and high humidity mean any water you apply won't move. Reassess Saturday morning based on who actually got hit.
For Gardeners: Good day for shade cloth on lettuce and greens that are edging toward bolt. Scout tomatoes for early blight — the humidity load favors it. Harvest zucchini, cukes, and beans in the morning while foliage is still cool.
For Farmers & Growers: Field workability is Poor and wind is Caution — skip spraying and hay cutting. Storm cells will be scattered and hard to route around, so keep equipment close to cover. Save tillage and side-dress passes for a cleaner window.
Looking Ahead (6-10 day signal): CPC 6–10 leans below-normal temps and above-normal precip; drought-free across DE, MD, and VA.
Bottom Line: Work early, park the sprayer, and let the storms sort themselves out this afternoon.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #GardenWeather #FarmWeather