Weather

Fall arrives Tuesday, but the Old Farmers Almanac is already drawing parallels to a notoriously stormy winter from decades past.

Summer drought is spreading across the region and the nation. Idaho, Oregon, and Washington all reported significant drought classifications in August, with some areas hitting exceptional drought levels.

Wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest is running well ahead of normal, and the numbers behind that fact are hard to ignore.

Crops are facing unexpected challenges this year, as persistent smoke impacts growth across the Northwest.

The USDA is listening to farmers, reinstating a crucial insurance option to help with planting challenges.

If wildfire smoke is making farm work rough in Washington, workers have options. Labor and Industries requires employers to provide clean-air spaces when fine particle pollution crosses dangerous thresholds.

Whether 2027 brings a Super El Niño or a typical winter, Pacific Northwest potato growers are bracing for heat, smoke, and spotty rain that can fuel early blight and white mold across their fields.

Brad Rippey with the USDA called the wildfire smoke an atypical challenge for the region, and growers across Idaho, Washington, and Oregon felt it during the final push of winter wheat harvest this season.

Smoke from regional wildfires has been a real obstacle for wheat farmers this season, but harvests across Washington, Idaho, and Oregon are moving faster than usual — Oregon jumped from 48% to 73% in just one week.

When temperatures top 90 degrees or wildfire smoke turns the air unhealthy, Oregon farm employers are required by law to take specific steps to protect their workers.