Crops · dekad 2026-08-11

Dem People's Rep of Korea

Dem People's Rep of Korea is 26th most stressed of 26 observations for this point in the season, and 4th steepest fall of 26, but from the 5th highest starting level of those 26, so it is not a record fall once that is accounted for. None of its 11 crop regions is at a record low on the measure that adds up the whole season, marked below, which is also the slowest of them to move.

No crop region in Dem People's Rep of Korea 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

Dem People's Rep of Korea: 1.01 standard deviations above normal

Hamgyong-bukto. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongyang-si. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongan-bukto. 25th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Chagang-do. 13th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hwanghae-bukto. 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hwanghae-namdo. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Yanggang-do. 24th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hamgyong-namdo. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Kangwon-do. 14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongan-namdo. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Kaesong-si. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Water satisfaction

0 of 11 regions at their own record

Dem People's Rep of Korea: 94% of crop water need met, normally 90%

Hamgyong-bukto. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongyang-si. 13th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongan-bukto. 11th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Chagang-do. 20th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hwanghae-bukto. 14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hwanghae-namdo. 15th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Yanggang-do. 23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hamgyong-namdo. 24th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Kangwon-do. 15th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongan-namdo. 11th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Kaesong-si. 13th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Rainfall, 3-month

0 of 11 regions at their own record

Dem People's Rep of Korea: 1.90 standard deviations above normal

Hamgyong-bukto. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongyang-si. 25th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongan-bukto. 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Chagang-do. 24th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hwanghae-bukto. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hwanghae-namdo. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Yanggang-do. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Hamgyong-namdo. 24th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Kangwon-do. 26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026P'yongan-namdo. 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026Kaesong-si. 25th 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 23rd of 26 for this country with no 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 measure0of 11
Vegetation, current0of 11
Water satisfaction0of 11
Rainfall, 3-month0of 11
Temperature0of 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 dekad
Temperaturethis dekad
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

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

The 26th 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 best third, while water satisfaction is in mid-range and rainfall is in their best third.

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

Vegetation, cumulative+0.7823rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.0726th 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+2.1126th 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.
Temperature23.7 °C8th 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 Dem People's Rep of Korea, 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 normalworsebetterHamgyong-buktoChagang-doP'yongyang-siP'yongan-buktoYanggang-doHwanghae-buktoHwanghae-namdoKangwon-doP'yongan-namdoHamgyong-namdoKaesong-si

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.

Hamgyong-bukto

+0.41 19th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.4119th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.3126th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction98%26th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.4926th 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.
Temperature21.8 °C8th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Chagang-do

+0.52 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.5222nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.0313th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction93%20th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+1.9224th 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.
Temperature21.2 °C9th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

P'yongyang-si

+0.61 19th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.6119th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.0026th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction93%13th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.1525th 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 °C7th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

P'yongan-bukto

+0.67 21st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.6721st lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.1425th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction96%11th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+1.4022nd 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.
Temperature24.4 °C7th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Yanggang-do

+0.74 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.7422nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.6524th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction94%23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.4426th 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.
Temperature18.8 °C9th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Hwanghae-bukto

+0.78 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.7822nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.5122nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction91%14th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.4926th 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 °C10th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Hwanghae-namdo

+0.80 22nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.8022nd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.3726th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction91%15th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.4126th 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 °C7th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Kangwon-do

+0.88 23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+0.8823rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+0.0914th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction92%15th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.4326th 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.
Temperature22.5 °C14th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

P'yongan-namdo

+1.03 23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+1.0323rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.6826th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction93%11th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+1.4422nd 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 °C5th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Hamgyong-namdo

+1.06 23rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

Vegetation here usually tracks water availability.

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+1.0623rd lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.0626th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction97%24th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.2124th 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.
Temperature22.6 °C11th highest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

same dekad, 2001-2025

Kaesong-si

+1.44 25th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026

20012026
Vegetation, cumulative+1.4425th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Vegetation, current+1.4226th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Water satisfaction94%13th lowest of 26 observations for this point in the season, 2001-2026
Rainfall, 3-month+2.0825th 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 °C9th 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