Western FSU
Widespread, locally heavy showers lingered over key western
and southern growing areas and ended the recent spell of excessive heat in
eastern portions of the region.
A weak cool front generated 5 to 50 mm of rain (locally
more) from Moldova and central Ukraine into western and southern Russia,
further benefiting vegetative to reproductive corn and sunflowers but hampering
winter wheat dry-down and harvesting.
However, drier weather by week’s end allowed winter crop
harvesting to resume.
Meanwhile, lingering heat (35-38°C) stressed late developing
winter wheat and vegetative summer crops in the southern Volga District, though
widespread showers (10-50 mm) signalled the arrival of cooler air during the
latter half of the period.
Eastern FSU
A return of showers to the region’s spring wheat areas
contrasted with seasonably dry, hot conditions in southern cotton-growing
areas.
Following last week’s warmth and dryness, widespread showers
and thunderstorms (10-70 mm) boosted soil moisture for vegetative to
reproductive spring wheat in northern Kazakhstan and neighbouring portions of
central Russia.
Showers (10-35 mm) also boosted soil moisture for spring
grains in the Siberia District, though western-most portions of the District
were mostly dry (less than 5 mm).
Across the southern tier, seasonably dry, hot weather
promoted cotton development over Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, though daytime
highs above 40°C heightened irrigation requirements.