Rain and snow eliminated the vestiges of
autumn drought in Ukraine and west-central Russia, while warm, rainy weather favoured
winter wheat development in southern Russia.
A pair of disturbances produced moderate to
heavy rain and snow (10-45 mm liquid equivalent) from central Ukraine into
Russia’s Central District.
Due to the recent month-long spell of wet
weather, most of the region’s lingering 90-day deficits have been eradicated.
The precipitation provided additional
moisture for late winter wheat establishment in the still vegetative southern
growing areas.
However, even with warmer-than-normal weather
for the week (2-5°C above normal), weekly average temperatures below 5°C (the
threshold for dormancy) encompassed northeastern Ukraine and the northern and
central Southern District.
In addition, a shallow to moderate snow cover
(2-15 cm) was on the ground from northern Ukraine into Russia’s Volga District,
though increasing warmth began to erode the snow by week’s end.
Consequently, the late-autumn rainfall may
not have been in time to ensure proper winter wheat establishment in the
aforementioned drought areas, leaving crops particularly vulnerable to the
region’s often harsh winter weather.
Meanwhile, winter wheat in southern Russia
developed favourably with renewed shower activity (10-45 mm) and temperatures
up to 4°C above normal.