A relatively warm start to the winter has meant that cereal crops have almost not hardened off. At the beginning of December, the local temperatures dropped sharply, which sometimes caused some frost damage. The JRC reports this in their latest MARS bulletin.
The Baltic states in particular experienced relatively warm weather in November. The average temperature was the second highest ever recorded. In Central and Eastern Europe it also remains drier than average, while in Western Europe precipitation has increased significantly. There is a precipitation surplus in Spain and Italy.
Sowing completed
The mild weather has ensured that the last plots of grain could be sown in Eastern Europe. The circumstances for this were not always ideal. Due to the late sowing time, these crops are underdeveloped. In any case, there is concern about the condition of the grain crops. Due to the high temperatures, they are not hardened off for next winter. In the north of Romania, the temperature dropped considerably at the end of November and the beginning of December, causing local frost damage to occur. Frost damage can also be discovered in the Volga region of Russia. Temperatures ranged from -15 to -20 degrees Celsius there.
Most Eastern European countries have underdeveloped grain crops that have not been hardened off sufficiently and have a weak root system. Mainly due to a lot of rainfall since the beginning of October. This resulted in late sowing and stunted growth. Cereal crops started their winter rest period much later. In Russia and Ukraine, crops have been further developed despite persistent drought.
Temperature remains above average
Frost tolerance in Eastern Europe is expected to increase further in December. Further south it is slower, because it remains warm for this time of year. No change is expected in Central and Western Europe given the weather forecasts. The JRC predicts warmer than average weather until February.