Europe

Colder weather returned to much of the region over the last week, with rain in the south contrasting with snow in the north.  A late-season winter storm produced locally heavy rain (25- 100 mm) from Italy into the central Balkans, while  moderate to heavy snow (5-40 mm liquid equivalent) fell  from northern France and Germany into Poland and the  northern Balkans. The rain benefited winter crops but hampered fieldwork, including maize planting and citrus harvesting in the Mediterranean region. A trailing cold front triggered moderate to heavy showers (10-90 mm) on the Iberian Peninsula, maintaining favorable yield prospects for vegetative winter wheat and barley while boosting irrigation reserves for warm-season crops. Temperatures averaged 5 to 8°C below normal in northern Europe, slowing winter crop growth in France and southeastern England and keeping winter crops dormant under a moderate snowpack (2-10 cm) in Germany, Poland, and the Baltic States. Mild weather (2-6°C above normal) prevailed in the Balkans, encouraging additional winter wheat growth.   

Eastern Europe

Wet weather overspread the region, with a stationary front separating persistent warmth in the south from seasonably cold weather in the north. Temperatures up to 10°C above normal across the region’s southern tier caused additional winter crop greening, with daytime highs topping 10°C (locally as high as 20°C) from central Ukraine into southern Russia. However, much-needed rain provided  soil moisture for winter wheat in Crimea, Ukraine, and  Russia’s Southern District following an unfavorably dry  autumn and winter. Meanwhile, a late-season winter storm produced moderate to heavy rain and snow from Belarus and western Ukraine into northern and central Russia, boosting moisture reserves for dormant winter crops. At week’s end, snow depths averaged 20 to 70 cm from Belarus and northern Ukraine into Russia’s Volga District.  

China

Winter crops were greening across China as spring planting continued. On the North China Plain, seasonably colder weather returned after a spell of unseasonable warmth accelerated green-up of winter wheat. Despite the sudden drop in temperatures, wheat was still tolerant to the sub-freezing conditions reported in the region. In addition, brief periods of rainfall accompanied the colder weather, helping to maintain adequate soil moisture. In the Yangtze Valley, mild weather aided winter rapeseed approaching reproduction, while 50 to 70 mm of rain in the eastern portions also benefited the crop. Lesser amounts of rain (10-25 mm) in central and western parts of the valley favored spring corn and rice establishment, with mostly dry conditions limiting moisture for rice in southern extents of China.

Argentina

Beneficial rain returned to farming areas of central Argentina and the northwest, boosting moisture for immature summer crops. Rainfall totaled 25 to 50 mm over a large area extending from northwestern Buenos Aires to Salta and Jujuy; similar amounts also fell in the northeast (northern Santa Fe and Chaco eastward through Misiones), boosting moisture for immature cotton and late-developing summer grains and oilseeds. In contrast, drier conditions prevailed in Entre Rios and central Santa Fe, where rainfall totaled below 25 mm, as well as in La Pampa and southern Buenos Aires, where amounts were below 10 mm. Weekly temperatures averaged 4 to 6°C below normal in central Argentina, with nighttime lows falling below 5°C in southern farming districts. During the latter half of the week, temperatures dropped to 1°C in southeastern Buenos Aires, raising the possibility of frost damage to vulnerable summer crops.

Meanwhile, weekly average temperatures were 1 to 3°C below normal in most northern agricultural areas, with daytime highs mostly in the upper 20s and lower 30s degrees C. According to Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture, sunflowers were 58 percent harvested as of March 14, 2 percentage points ahead of last season. Harvesting in Buenos Aires, the country’s largest producer of sunflowers, was at 27 percent, compared with 35 percent last year.

Brazil

Rain maintained generally favorable conditions for corn, soybeans, and other crops in southern and central Brazil.
Rainfall totaled 25 to 100 mm from Rio Grande do Sul northward, reaching as far east as previously dry sections of western Bahia. The rain in the northeast provided timely moisture for immature soybeans and cotton after recent weeks of sporadic rainfall. The rainfall also ended a brief spell of dryness in southern Mato Grosso do Sul and Sao Paulo, boosting moisture for sugarcane and winter-grown corn. In the Center-West Region the rainfall may have slowed soybean harvesting but was overall beneficial for safrinha corn. Weekly temperatures averaged 2 to 3°C above normal in central and northeastern production areas. Hot weather was also recorded in the northeast, reaching as far south as northern Minas Gerais. Weekly average temperatures were near to below normal in the south, with highs reaching the upper 20s and lower 30s.

USA

Much of Kansas received only light rain, coupled with above-average temperatures in the west and below-average temperatures in the east. The lack of soil moisture is an ongoing concern for spring planting and for development of the wheat crop. Aided by warm weather, greening was evident in portions of the wheat crop. Producers were topdressing wheat and cool-season grasses. Jointing was underway in a limited number of wheat fields; however, overall progress was behind last year’s and the average pace.

Dry weather and high winds continued to dry out topsoil across much of Texas during the week. The oat crop began heading in some areas. But un-irrigated wheat across the remainder of the state was stressed by a lack of moisture.


In Arizona, Durum wheat was reported in mostly good to excellent condition, while barley condition was mostly fair to good.

This is an extract from a full report jointly published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the World Agricultural Outlook Board.