Unseasonable warmth developed over western and southern portions
of the region, while eastern-most crop areas remained cold and snow covered.
Across key wheat areas of Ukraine as well as western and
southern Russia, warmer weather (3-7°C above normal) reduced the region’s
protective snow cover but minimized the risk for freeze damage to dormant
winter wheat.
In addition, daytime highs greater than 10°C across south western
Russia reduced winter wheat cold hardiness and may have encouraged some early
greening.
In contrast, near to below normal temperatures prevailed
across central Russia, keeping dormant winter crops encased in snow.
Precipitation totalled 10 to locally more than 25 mm (liquid
equivalent) across central and north western crop areas, with much of the precipitation
falling as rain.