# Drought leaves U.S. Plains wheat vulnerable to freeze damage

> Drought in the U.S. Plains has left hard red winter wheat vulnerable to freeze damage. A shortage of high-protein HRW wheat has pushed cash premiums sharply higher, with March futures reaching a 9.5-year high the prior week.

- Date: 2017-12-16 · published 2017-12-16T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/10328-drought-leaves-u-s-plains-wheat-vulnerable-to-freeze-damage
- Commodities: [Wheat (HRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/KWHEAT.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Tight high-protein supply raises premiums for buyers needing protein, and crop stress adds upside risk to HRW prices.

## Read by commodity

- WHEAT: bullish ▲
- KWHEAT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| KWHEAT | 2018-03-13 | [Drought threat intensifies for U.S. Plains winter wheat crop](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66052-drought-threat-intensifies-for-u-s-plains-winter-wheat-crop.md) | -7.6% | +2.5% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-05-01 | [Hard Red Winter Wheat Crop Rivals 2023 Disaster After Drought and Freeze Damage](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19782-hard-red-winter-wheat-crop-rivals-2023-disaster-after-drought-and-freeze-damage.md) | -3.4% | -4.2% |
| KWHEAT | 2017-05-03 | [U.S. grains: Wheat futures flat as damage assessed - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7002-u-s-grains-wheat-futures-flat-as-damage-assessed-grainews.md) | -6.1% | -5.1% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-05-07 | [$7 wheat is back as Plains drought slashes crop prospects](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19314-7-wheat-is-back-as-plains-drought-slashes-crop-prospects.md) | +5.7% | -8.2% |
| KWHEAT | 2026-04-30 | [Wheat Prices Jump as Drought Threatens U.S. Output - WSJ](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19766-wheat-prices-jump-as-drought-threatens-u-s-output-wsj.md) | -2.1% | -3.6% |
| WHEAT | 2018-03-13 | [Drought threat intensifies for U.S. Plains winter wheat crop](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66052-drought-threat-intensifies-for-u-s-plains-winter-wheat-crop.md) | -1.6% | +0.5% |
| WHEAT | 2021-07-28 | [Wheat climbs on signs of drought damage in northern U.S. Plains \| Financial Post](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46100-wheat-climbs-on-signs-of-drought-damage-in-northern-u-s-plains-financial-post.md) | +2.7% | +3.0% |
| WHEAT | 2026-05-01 | [Hard Red Winter Wheat Crop Rivals 2023 Disaster After Drought and Freeze Damage](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19782-hard-red-winter-wheat-crop-rivals-2023-disaster-after-drought-and-freeze-damage.md) | -2.9% | -0.1% |

## Sources

- reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather-crops/drought-leaves-u-s-plains-wheat-vulnerable-to-freeze-damage-idUSKBN1E92N8/?feedName=environmentNews&feedType=RSS

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.