Showers maintained good to excellent summer crop prospects
in Russia and eased drought in north-central Ukraine.
In Russia, 60-day
rainfall through July 1 has averaged 100 to 200 percent of normal, ensuring
adequate to abundant moisture reserves as spring grains and summer crops
approached or entered the reproductive stages of development.
During the past
week, showers and thunderstorms continued in Russia, albeit more variable, with
totals in key southern corn and sunflower areas ranging from a trace to 42 mm.
Widespread moderate to heavy rainfall (10-90 mm) was reported from Belarus into
northern Russia, sustaining abundant moisture supplies for crop development.
In Ukraine, much-needed rain (10-24 mm) in central portions
of the country eased drought, though 60-day precipitation totals remained below
50 percent of normal in many key growing areas.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, moderate
to heavy showers (10-40 mm) improved prospects for soybeans and corn in the
west as well as vegetative sunflowers in east- central growing areas.
Dry
weather lingered over south- central Ukraine, increasing concerns over
developing drought in areas just inland from the Black Sea Coast.
Despite the
much-needed rain in Ukraine, building heat (33-36°C) increased
evapo-transpiration rates and largely offset the benefits of the past week’s
rain.