Widespread rain further improved summer crop prospects over much of the continent, though excessive heat lingered in parts of southern Europe.
Early in the period, moderate to heavy showers (10-50 mm, locally more) from France eastward into Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic States maintained or improved soil moisture as small grains and summer crops approached or progressed through the reproductive stages of development.
The recent wet weather (near- to above-normal rainfall over the past 30 days) has eased or eliminated dryness concerns over most growing areas; moisture stress was limited to Belgium, southern portions of Spain and Italy, as well Serbia and western Romania.
However, heat continued to stress crops in southern Europe.
In southern Spain, daytime highs above 40°C adversely impacted reproductive to filling sunflowers and cotton.
In Italy, seven consecutive days above 35°C (beginning July 5) were untimely for tasselling to silking corn in the Po River Valley.
In southeastern Europe, widespread 35-degree heat (locally as high as 40°C) stressed reproductive corn and soybeans, particularly in the driest locales of the middle Danube River Valley.
(Next week I will be driving across much of Europe and hope to be able to give an independent summary on current crop condition).
(Next week I will be driving across much of Europe and hope to be able to give an independent summary on current crop condition).