# Winter Ready: The negative impacts of a historic El Niño

> A Wisconsin meteorologist reports that a warmer-than-normal winter linked to El Niño could hurt crops in the state, with repeated freeze-thaw cycles threatening alfalfa, winter wheat and rye. Local farmers estimate a loss of 200 acres of alfalfa could cost about $200,000, and a dry winter could reduce spring soil moisture.

- Date: 2026-11-12 · published 2026-11-12T15:08:53.695Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/95656-winter-ready-the-negative-impacts-of-a-historic-el-nino
- Commodities: [Alfalfa Hay](https://feedsoft.ai/c/ALFALFA.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Winter damage to US alfalfa and winter cereals could tighten local hay and feed-grain supply next spring, supporting prices modestly. The effect is regional and localized rather than a national supply shock.

## Read by commodity

- WHEAT: bullish ▲
- ALFALFA: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2017-05-18 | [Poor Winter Wheat - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10220-poor-winter-wheat-ag-information-network-of-the-west.md) | +3.0% | +1.9% |
| WHEAT | 2023-05-24 | [The U.S. Now Has a Nearly 90% Chance of Seeing El Niño This Summer - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13279-the-u-s-now-has-a-nearly-90-chance-of-seeing-el-nino-this-summer-agweb.md) | -2.4% | -2.7% |
| WHEAT | 2026-04-24 | [Explainer: How El Nino could impact the world's weather in 2026/27 \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19629-explainer-how-el-nino-could-impact-the-world-s-weather-in-2026-27-reuters.md) | +0.2% | +1.4% |
| WHEAT | 2023-09-15 | [El Nino farming stress will have wide economic impacts](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34000-el-nino-farming-stress-will-have-wide-economic-impacts.md) | +0.1% | -1.6% |
| WHEAT | 2020-02-19 | [The reduction in sowing areas of winter wheat in the EU almost does not reduce the crop in the new season](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54537-the-reduction-in-sowing-areas-of-winter-wheat-in-the-eu-almost-does-not-reduce.md) | -1.6% | -0.8% |

## Sources

- channel3000.com: https://www.channel3000.com/news/winter-ready-the-negative-impacts-of-an-historic-el-ni-o/article_84e3b59e-fd6b-4f81-b3c5-43d1b689285f.html

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