Munich, Germany – 22.05.2025 – In many regions of Germany, spring 2025 is characterized by blue skies and summery temperatures – a pleasure for hikers, but an increasing cause for concern for farmers. As the German news magazine “DER SPIEGEL” reports, meteorologists and hydrologists are already talking about an impending weather situation with catastrophic potential: exceptionally dry soils, falling river levels, increasing risk of forest fires. The forecasts for the summer unsettle experts. What is particularly alarming is that the drought is hitting the country at an unusually early stage – even before summer has begun.

Therefore, a specialized monitoring system is coming more into focus: the Drought Monitor for winter wheat, which Vista is publishing for the third time this year in cooperation with BayWa. It does not provide only a snapshot of soil moisture, but specifically evaluates the effects of weather and precipitation on the wheat crops and thus the potential harvest.

Despite the recent sparse rainfall, the current picture is surprising: In Germany, there is hardly any evidence of water stress in winter wheat at the moment. The plants are compensating for the deficit in the topsoil by absorbing water from deeper soil layers. The wheat crops are healthy in most places.

Initial results sound reassuring but this situation is fragile. A prolonged drought could have a massive impact on yield prospects over the next weeks. A look at the predictions on basis of the weather patterns of the past three years shows how dramatically the situation can change: in a year with high rainfall like 2024, hardly any damage is to be expected – the crops cope well with the weather. But if the summer follows the pattern of 2023, there is a risk of widespread yield losses.

The forecasts are still subject to uncertainty. However, the regularly updated Drought Monitor illustrates once again how sensitive the balance between weather and agriculture is – and how crucial the coming weeks will be for the 2025 wheat harvest.

About Vista:

Vista Geowissenschaftliche Fernerkundung GmbH, founded in 1995, is working with optical and radar remote sensing data, combined with scientific models, machine learning and AI to provide sophisticated solutions to its clients and customers in over 25 countries worldwide.

The company is dedicated to enabling sustainable management of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus to improve the global footprint of agriculture and increase the resilience of the food system today to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Vista solutions, especially in the field of smart farming and yield forecasts, have been established on the market for years.