Above-normal
temperatures kept the region uncharacteristically devoid of snow cover.
Light to
moderate rain and wet snow (3- 20 mm liquid equivalent) further improved soil
moisture reserves from Belarus and northern Ukraine into central and southern
Russia.
However,
temperatures for the week averaged 2 to 5°C above normal, which kept most
primary winter wheat areas lacking a protective snow cover.
At week’s
end, snow was shallow (2-10 cm) and confined to the Volga District and southern
portions of the Central District.
Despite the widespread abnormal warmth,
winter wheat was now dormant across the entire region as weekly average
temperatures slipped below 5°C in all growing areas.