Warm January spurs winter wheat

The tender shoots of winter wheat start their journey toward the sky, compliments of unusually warm and dry December and January months. Photo taken outside Colfax.

This unusually warm, dry winter could be both a blessing and a curse for area wheat farmers, said WSU extension educator Steve Van Vleet.

Warmer temperatures throughout the winter have already prompted the first growth of winter wheat.

However, the lack of snowfall will make for a dry spring.

“If we get a cold snap and some wind now, it could be really bad. It could be devastating,” Van Vleet said.

A sudden drop below freezing, cou...