Crops · dekad 2026-08-11

Benin

1 of 11 crop regions in Benin are at their worst on record for this point in the season. Its highest in any previous year was 4, on a recent average of 0.75.

No crop region in Benin is at its worst in 26 years for this point in the season.

Three instruments, 11 regions, one day. Each region against its own 26 years, never against another region.

Vegetation, current

0 of 11 regions at their own record

Benin: 0.52 standard deviations below normal

Couffo. 10th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Borgou. 2nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Donga. 6th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Atlantique. 9th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Oueme. 14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Atakora. 6th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Alibori. 11th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Plateau. 12th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Mono. 20th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Zou. 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Collines. 17th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Water satisfaction

0 of 11 regions at their own record

Benin: 93% of crop water need met, normally 94%

Couffo. 18th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Borgou. 5th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Donga. 6th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Atlantique. 18th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Oueme. 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Atakora. 16th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Alibori. 10th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Plateau. 19th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Mono. 17th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Zou. 21st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Collines. 14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Rainfall, 3-month

0 of 11 regions at their own record

Benin: 0.21 standard deviations above normal

Couffo. 20th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Borgou. 14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Donga. 21st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Atlantique. 23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Oueme. 23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Atakora. 24th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Alibori. 7th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Plateau. 21st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Mono. 19th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Zou. 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Collines. 8th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Colour
at this region's normalfar below
Outline
A heavy outline is that region's worst in 26 years. Different facts: a region can be dark without an outline, meaning far from normal but it has been worse, or outlined without being darkest, a record but a narrow one.
One scale, three instruments
Every panel saturates at 2.5 standard deviations below that region's own normal, so a colour means the same distance-from-normal on all three. It does not mean the same consequence: these measure different things and move at different speeds. The figures under each heading stay in the instrument's own units.

A fourth instrument is not shown here. Cumulative vegetation, the crop-outcome measure closest to yield, reads 4th of 26 for this country with one region at a record. It integrates from the start of the season, so it is structurally the last to move and reads calmest exactly when a fast deterioration is under way. It is left off the panels to keep three maps comparable in kind; it is on the page in full below.

Vegetation, cumulativethe harvest measure1of 11
Vegetation, current0of 11
Water satisfaction0of 11
Rainfall, 3-month0of 11
Temperature4of 11

What moved, and when

Each square is one dekad, and its shade shows how many of this country’s crop regions stood at their own worst on record for that point in the season. Rows are ordered by how much time each instrument summarises, shortest first, because a shorter window can move sooner. That order is fixed and is the same on every country page.

Vegetation, currentthis dekad
Soil moisturethis dekadalready elevated when this window opens, so nothing here shows when it began
Temperaturethis dekadalready elevated when this window opens, so nothing here shows when it began
Rainfall, 3-monththe past 3 months
Vegetation, cumulativethe season so far, from sowing
Water satisfactionthe season so far, as a water balance
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
none at a recordone regionfewer than a thirda third to three quartersmost or alltoo few regions reporting to saynot reported
What connects these rows

The driver is water. This section says what moved and when. It never says because.

These 23 dekads were picked rather than derived. A shorter window changes which peak looks like the first, and a sequence visible inside a window may not exist outside it.

How bad is it, against this country’s own record

Five instruments read together our combination, not an observation

4th worst of 26 years at this point in the season

The 4th most stressed of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026, across 5 instruments read together

202620012026

What the instruments say

The canopy is in its worst third, while water satisfaction is in their worst third and rainfall is in mid-range.

Each track is that instrument’s own 26 years, worst on the left.

Vegetation, cumulative-0.984th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.608th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction93%8th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+0.1815th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.6 °C3rd highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Five instruments, each against its own 26 years for this point in the season. They are shown together because they can disagree: a region can sit at a record low on vegetation while water or rainfall sits in its best third. 38 of the 196 regions at a record low on current vegetation have water or rainfall sitting in its own best third at the same moment, about one in five. This page reports where each one sits and does not say what caused what.

Every region of Benin, worst to least

Each bar is the full spread of that region’s previous 25 years at this point in the season. The dot is this year. A dot at the left of a wide bar and a dot at the left of a narrow bar are different findings, which is why the history is drawn rather than described.

its normalworsebetterBorgouCouffoDongaAtlantiqueAtakoraAliboriOuemePlateauMonoCollinesZou

Regions in colour are at their worst on record. The rest are placed on the same scale so a single deep region inside an otherwise ordinary country reads differently from a country where the whole distribution has moved.

Borgou

-1.51 2nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-1.512nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-1.162nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction88%5th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month-0.0114th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.0 °C3rd highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Couffo

-1.28 lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-1.28lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.4110th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction99%18th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+0.6020th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.1 °C2nd highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Donga

-1.07 3rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-1.073rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.486th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction88%6th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+0.9121st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature24.6 °C2nd highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Atlantique

-1.01 4th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-1.014th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.549th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction96%18th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+1.0623rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.5 °Chighest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Atakora

-0.94 5th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-0.945th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.646th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction94%16th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+1.3424th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.6 °Chighest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Alibori

-0.81 7th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-0.817th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.3911th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction96%10th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month-0.417th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature26.2 °Chighest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Oueme

-0.79 4th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-0.794th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current-0.0614th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction98%22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+1.2223rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.4 °Chighest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Plateau

-0.24 9th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-0.249th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.0412th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction91%19th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+0.3421st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.2 °C6th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Mono

-0.14 10th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative-0.1410th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.4320th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction94%17th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+0.5919th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.1 °C2nd highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Collines

+0.16 19th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.1619th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.1717th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction96%14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month-0.388th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.3 °C2nd highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Zou

+0.18 18th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.1818th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.6122nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction97%21st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+0.6222nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Soil moisturenot reportedSoil moisture has not reported for this dekad. Its newest observation is 1 dekad behind the crop-outcome instrument.
Temperature25.4 °C4th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

This measurement is of the crop canopy and not of what stressed it: heat, drought, disease and late planting are not separable here, which is why no claim on this page names a cause.

Kristjan Lepik (2026). The Long Swell, Crops. thelongswell.com