Winter Wheat Concerns Across Northwest

About 20 percent of the winter wheat produced in the U.S. comes from the Northwest into Montana and there are growing concerns about what growers will be facing come planting season.

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey said it’s critical to see some rain before the end of September.

“Without a pattern change, we could be talking about significant yield reductions unless we see improving weather conditions.”

The end of September is the end of the establishment period for winter wheat in the Northwest.

The chances of getting some of that much needed rain? Rippey is cautiously optimistic.

“It looks like there will be some opportunities for some late season tropical moisture to work its way into the Western United States over the next several days. In time as that moisture begins to interact with some autumn cold fronts, there are some suggestions that we could see desperately needed rain across parts of the Northwest as the Northern High Plains.”

Most of the Inland Northwest is as listed as at least abnormally dry if not in drought conditions.