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list-style: none; font-size: 1rem; line-height: 1.3; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; color: rgb(111, 111, 111); padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><li class="c-article-identifiers__item" data-test="article-category" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-right: 8px; padding-right: 8px; list-style: none; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-right: 2px solid rgb(197, 224, 244);">Article</li><li class="c-article-identifiers__item" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-right: 0px; padding-right: 0px; list-style: none; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-right: medium;">Published: <time datetime="2026-02-06" style="box-sizing: inherit;">06 February 2026</time></li></ul><h1 class="c-article-title" data-test="article-title" data-article-title="" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-family: Harding, Palatino, serif; font-size: 1.875rem; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: min(max(-0.011716rem, 4vw), -0.039063rem); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Winter wheat yield sensitivity to snow drought is increasing across the Northern Hemisphere</h1><ul class="c-article-author-list c-article-author-list--short js-no-scroll" data-test="authors-list" data-component-authors-activator="authors-list" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 100%; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline; list-style: none; font-size: 1rem;"><li class="c-article-author-list__item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; padding-right: 0px;"><a data-test="author-name" data-track="click" data-track-action="open author" data-track-label="link" data-track-index="1_4" data-track-context="researcher popup with no profile" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-026-01302-7#auth-Huijiao-Chen-Aff1" data-author-popup="auth-Huijiao-Chen-Aff1" data-author-search="Chen, Huijiao" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(2, 94, 141); text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-underline-offset: 0.08em;">Huijiao Chen</a>, </li><li class="c-article-author-list__item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; padding-right: 0px;"><a data-test="author-name" data-track="click" data-track-action="open author" data-track-label="link" data-track-index="2_4" data-track-context="researcher popup with no profile" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-026-01302-7#auth-Shuo-Wang-Aff1-Aff2" data-author-popup="auth-Shuo-Wang-Aff1-Aff2" data-author-search="Wang, Shuo" data-corresp-id="c1" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(2, 94, 141); text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-underline-offset: 0.08em;">Shuo Wang<svg width="16" height="16" focusable="false" role="img" aria-hidden="true" class="u-icon"><use xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="#icon-eds-i-mail-medium"></use></svg></a>, </li><li class="c-article-author-list__item c-article-author-list__item--hide-small-screen" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; padding-right: 0px;"><a data-test="author-name" data-track="click" data-track-action="open author" data-track-label="link" data-track-index="3_4" data-track-context="researcher popup with no profile" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-026-01302-7#auth-Peng-Zhu-Aff3" data-author-popup="auth-Peng-Zhu-Aff3" data-author-search="Zhu, Peng" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(2, 94, 141); text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-underline-offset: 0.08em;">Peng Zhu</a> & </li><li class="c-article-author-list__item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; padding-right: 0px;"><a data-test="author-name" data-track="click" data-track-action="open author" data-track-label="link" data-track-index="4_4" data-track-context="researcher popup with no profile" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-026-01302-7#auth-Amir-AghaKouchak-Aff4-Aff5-Aff6" data-author-popup="auth-Amir-AghaKouchak-Aff4-Aff5-Aff6" data-author-search="AghaKouchak, Amir" style="box-sizing: inherit; 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word-break: break-word;">Global crop productivity heavily relies on snow availability, which has declined in many snow-dependent regions due to warmer winters and intensified snow droughts. However, our understanding of crop yield sensitivity to snow droughts remains limited. Here we show that winter wheat croplands have experienced an increase in snow drought frequency (5.3\u20136.7% more events per decade) from 1960 to 2020. To assess the sensitivity of winter wheat yield to snow droughts, we utilized explainable machine learning, gridded yield datasets and the standardized snow water equivalent index from 1982 to 2016. Our findings reveal a significant increase in yield sensitivity to snow water equivalent index over 25% of Northern Hemisphere winter wheat croplands. Elevated fertilizer application rates, increased freezing stress and slightly decreased precipitation are identified as primary drivers amplifying this sensitivity. These findings highlight the increasing vulnerability of crop systems to snow droughts, which is critical for guiding agricultural adaptation in a warming future with reduced snowpack.</p></div></div></section></div></article></main></div><div>
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