Phenology
Ohio-West Virginia severe weather
Early Harvest on Crop Lands of AZ, TN, MO, MS, and LA
ForWarn has detected anomalies on the agricultural lands Mississippi embayment of Arizona, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the surrounding areas compared to historical data. Detected in November, 2015, the anomalies are likely due to drought during or after the growing season which led to early harvest of crops.
Early Leaf Loss in Southern Appalachians
ForWarn identified possible anomalies in the Southern Appalachians on November 3, 2015. Decline in vegetation greenness in high elevations from untimely fall leaf loss based on historical data and seasonal reduction of greenness is likely caused by drought.
Snow and Insects in Rio Grande Forest and San Juan Wilderness, CO
ForWarn identified a decline in vegetation greenness in the Rio Grande National Forest and southern San Juan Wilderness. It is a possibility that the severe tree mortality is due to snow impacts or intensification of apparent spruce beetle defoliation.
Phenology in Manistee National Forest, MI
ForWarn discovered a decline anomaly in the Manistee National Forest, Michigan. The behavior of the anomaly is consistent with previous years. The area consisting of mesophytic glacial till and clay hills with sandy outwash bottoms supports oak and some pine. The cold conditions of the early spring greenup forced a delay in the cold-sensitive oaks. The phenology of the trees in the area were affected by the anomalous cold conditions and prompted a decline of vegetation greenness.
Mapping the urban phenological footprint
Urban areas are renowned for their admixture of species and vegetation types that can change from one parcel to the next. Yards and woodland parks intermix with road medians--all of which may be dominated by an irregular mix of native and exotic trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. In cities, the vegetation of nearly every block is compositionally complex.
The typical start of greenup on agricultural lands
Understanding the normal start of greenup for croplands is important because it provides a baseline to compare year to year conditions. The date of greenup for agricultural lands varies based on year-to-year climate factors, the unique responses of the specific crop or vegetation type planted, and farmers' management practices. For areas that need to be planted in the spring, wet late winters can delay planting. Cool springs can delay growth. Either can potentially influence seasonal growth and yield.
The typical start of greenup in natural vegetation
The start of the annual growing season is among the most important climate-sensitive measures that Land Surface Phenology (LSP) products like ForWarn can provide. Warm temperatures can accelerate bud burst, and this can increase exposure to damaging spring frosts, as it did across the Southeastern US in 2007 and 2012. In natural areas, the timing of spring greenup can affect growing season duration and productivity. It can also affect the risk and impacts of disturbances, such as those from wind, hail and fire.
Autumnal Hail and Early Browndown in the Upper Midwest
It can be challenging to detect disturbances during seasonal periods of transition such as Fall or Spring in the eastern deciduous forest. The baseline conditions we use to compare with current conditions harbor a lot of normal variation that results from the onset and progression of cold temperatures. In the upper Midwest, Fall is typically reflected by a gradual drop in NDVI during September, then a more rapid decline in October. By the beginning of November during most years, this decline in NDVI is largely complete.
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