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.