Climate in the southern coastlands has a major impact on the crops and produce from the region. The state experienced two drought emergencies between years 2000 - 2005. There was less water for irrigation due to earlier high river flows and decreasing soil moisture.
There has also been an increase in average forest fires from 6 per year in the 1970's to 21 per year in the early 21st century. "Federal and state costs of fighting wildfires may exceed $75 million per year by the 2020’s (with a 2 degree warming), and that’s 50% higher than current expenditures."
Landslides have also been inevitable in the state. Hwy 12 and Hwy 101 have been closed down due to landslides and those closures cost millions to clear. "The City of Seattle sttributes cost of $20 million to landslides causedby major storms during the winter of 1996-97."
Warmer winters are conducive to more forest and crop pests. This means that pest populations can boom and destroy crops and produce. This is already happening the Northeast Washington where pine bark beetles are rapidly devastating large tracts of forests.
Sources:
"Climate Change Effects - Extreme Weather in Depth." Washington State Department of Ecology | Home Page | ECY WA DOE. Web. 21 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/extremeweather_more.htm>.
Mulick, Stacey. "Lights & Sirens - » Crews to Inspect Landslide That Blocks Westbound SR 18 in Auburn The News Tribune Blogs, Tacoma, WA." The News Tribune Blogs - The News Tribune Blogs, Tacoma, WA. 15 Jan. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2011. <http://blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2010/01/15/crews-to-inspect-landslide-that-blocks-westbound-sr-18-in-auburn/>.
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