A slow-moving storm brought widespread snow to dormant
winter crops in central and eastern Europe, while dry conditions lingered in
southwestern growing areas.
In Spain, sunny skies and near-normal temperatures were favourable
for vegetative winter wheat and barley.
However, localized but pronounced short-term drought
continued to adversely impact crop development in northwestern Spain (Castilla
y León), where 60 day precipitation has totalled less than 50% of normal.
In France - where similar dryness has been noted over the
past 60 days - 10 to 25mm of rain improved moisture reserves for dormant to
semi-dormant winter crops.
Meanwhile, widespread snow (5-25cm, locally more) insulated
dormant winter grains and oilseeds from Germany into Poland and the Balkans.
However, snow cover remained shallow and patchy in northern
Serbia and western Romania, where additional burnback or freeze damage was
possible from temperatures as low as -19°C.
Chilly weather also prevailed across the Mediterranean
region; for the second consecutive week, hard freezes in typically warmer
Mediterranean coastal areas may have caused some damage to sensitive specialty
crops.