Cold,
mostly dry weather prevailed in major winter wheat areas, though somewhat
milder conditions returned to northern - and western-most parts of the region.
A strong
area of high pressure maintained sunny skies and below-normal temperatures
(1-4°C below normal) in southern Russia.
Nighttime
readings dropped below -5°C in key southern wheat oblasts, with weekly average temperatures
less than 5°C indicating winter wheat was approaching or entering dormancy in
the Southern and North Caucasus Districts in Russia.
Rain and
snow (1-20 mm, liquid equivalent) were mostly confined to the North Caucasus District,
though a secondary area of precipitation in northern portions of the Southern
District provided some moisture for winter crops beset by an unfavourably dry
autumn.
Meanwhile, near-
to above-normal temperatures in Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, and northern Russia
eased crop stress brought on by the abrupt early-November cold.