![]() ![]() A group of fields in Lincoln County, WA, which appear to have had spring wheat planted for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 growing seasons. There 2021 spring wheat yields measured 24 bushels/acre, which represents only 45% of the yields reported in 2020: 53.6 bushels/acre. At a closer scale, this change was also reflected in Lincoln County, WA. Department of Agriculture’s annual Small Grains 2021 Summary reported that the total wheat production in Washington fell by nearly 50% to 87.1 million bushels in 2021, from 116 million bushels in 2020. Department of Agriculture report rated the condition of 68% of Washington’s spring wheat and 36% of the state’s winter wheat as poor or very poor. In 2020, Washington state was ranked fourth in the United States for the top wheat producing state, and the crop represents about $800 million for the state. The heatwave in the Pacific Northwest proved particularly damaging to regional wheat crops. (Data sources: Planet monthly mosaic, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Natural Earth) This map shows the general distribution of wheat fields in the state of Washington. The combined tools of Planet’s daily satellite data and public data on crop conditions and yields can offer ways for agricultural organizations to map, measure, prepare, and respond to the impacts of temperature anomalies and droughts on certain key crops in their region. Such severe weather events present unpredictable and damaging impacts for the agricultural industry. The combined factors of this continued drought and the unprecedented heat waves sapped the soil moisture of the region, threatening a range of crops, including wheat, berries, and evergreen trees harvested for the Christmas season. Data generated by with modification by Max Borrmann under Creative Commons License. This figure shows the spatial and temporal progression of the abnormal heat across Washington from June 24, 2021, through July 1, 2021. From March to August, Washington state saw just 6.9 inches of rain, compared to an average of 13.03 in previous years according to the National Weather Service. By this point, 93% of the Pacific Northwest region had also been impacted by drought conditions, and Seattle and Portland had experienced a month and a half without rainfall. A second, less severe, heatwave hit the region again in late July. Temperatures climbed to 116 degrees fahrenheit in Portland and 108 degrees fahrenheit in Seattle, causing regional devastation to lives and economies. Pacific Northwest experienced an unprecedented heatwave. Graphics and Data Analysis By: Max BorrmannĪdditional Data Support: Joe Kington, Jaap Schellekens, and Tessa Kramer Wheat in the Pacific Northwest: Understanding the Impacts of Droughts and Heat Waves. ![]()
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