Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Latest USDA weather update for western FSU

Snow melted over southern growing areas, while areas farther north remained well insulated from lingering bitter cold.

Widespread light to moderate rain (5-25 mm) melted the shallow snow cover across southern portions of Ukraine and Russia, though exposed winter wheat was not subjected to bitter cold.

Farther north, nighttime lows plunged below -20°C from central and northern Ukraine eastward into Russia, but a moderate to deep snowpack (10-30 cm) kept crops adequately protected from freeze damage.

Despite temperatures averaging up to 5°C below normal in Russia, notably warmer weather (up to 7°C above normal) over Belarus and western Ukraine was advancing eastward at week’s end.