Western FSU
Wet weather over central and southern portions of the region
contrasted with favourably drier conditions in the north.
An area of high pressure brought sunny skies to much of north-western
Russia, accelerating spring grain and summer crop planting following two months
of above-normal precipitation.
In contrast, a stalled frontal boundary coupled with an
influx of warm, humid air resulted in widespread showers and thunderstorms
(15-85 mm) from Moldova, Ukraine, and southern Belarus into central and
southern Russia.
The rain maintained good to excellent prospects for
reproductive to filling winter wheat, though sowing of corn, sunflowers, and
soybeans was slowed or halted by the locally heavy downpours.
Eastern FSU
Generally dry weather in the north contrasted with additional
heavy rainfall in southern portions of the region.
Across northern Kazakhstan and neighbouring portions of
central Russia, rainfall was generally light (5 mm or less), promoting a rapid
pace of spring wheat planting.
However, eastern and western most portions of the spring
wheat belt tallied heavier showers (15-35 mm), slowing fieldwork but
maintaining adequate to abundant soil moisture for crop establishment.
For the second consecutive week, freezes (-8 to -2°C) posed
little - if any - threat to recently emerged spring wheat.
Farther south, heavy showers and thunderstorms (25-125 mm,
locally more) over central and eastern Uzbekistan provided supplemental
moisture for irrigated winter wheat, which was in the reproductive to early
grain-fill stages of development.