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Weather

World crop and weather highlights

Below are links to National Weather Service world climate maps courtesy of the NWS Climate Prediction Center. Clicking on a link will open a map in a new window.

Last updated: February 2, 2010

Temperatures dropped to -1 to -5 degrees Celsius below normal across most of the Prairies. Daily high’s reached zero in western Alberta, but for the most part ranged from -1 to -10 degrees Celsius. Overnight low’s ranged from -35 to -20 degrees Celsius. Precipitation was minimal, with the flurries (<10 mm water equivalent) building the snowpack slightly to the point where most areas have more than 10 cm. The snowpack continued to build in southern Alberta, and now ranges from 1 to 10 cm. The current snowpack is sufficient to protect winter wheat from the low temperatures. The accumulated precipitation over the winter in northern Saskatchewan remains very low.

Above average temperatures continued in the PNW and east coast, while the rest of the country experienced below normal conditions. Moderate rain and snow (25-75 mm) fell in Texas and Oklahoma, boosting moisture for winter wheat crops in the area and disrupting grain movement. Moderate to heavy rains (50-150mm) continued over much of the southeastern U.S., maintaining concerns for the Soft Red Winter wheat in those areas. Overnight low's were below freezing in all but the southern most states. Winter wheat’s protective snowcover has been restored as far south as Texas. In the Cornbelt, sufficient snow remains as to limit any fieldwork. The continued warm temperatures in the PNW allowed farmers to begin fieldwork and winter crops may start to come out of dormancy if the current temperatures continue.

Light to moderate rains (10-60 mm) fell south of Cordoba and Santa Fe, along with Buenos Aires and La Pampa. Further north only scattered showers fell, but soil moisture levels remain high from earlier rains. Temperatures were 1 to 7 degrees Celsius above normal across the country. Daily high’s ranged from 30 to 45 degrees Celsius. The moisture limited any heat stress from the high temperatures, and in general, the corn and soybean crops have thrived under the hot, moist conditions.

Temperatures in Brazil were close to normal in southern areas and slightly above normal across the rest of the country. Moderate to heavy rains (25-150 mm) and warm temperatures benefitted vegetative soybeans and corn across much of Brazil last week. Reduced rains (1-50 mm) in Rio Grande do Sul allowed some of the flood waters to recede and fieldwork to resume.

Temperatures were slightly above normal in the agricultural areas. Daily high's ranged from the thirties near the coast to the mid-forties in much of the center portions of the country. Some patchy showers and light rains fell in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland though the heaviest amounts fell in coastal and mountainous locations outside of the main production areas. What moisture did fall maintained reasonable conditions for sorghum and summer crops. Mostly dry conditions and high temperatures characterized southern agricultural regions.

Light to moderate precipitation (5-30 mm) continued in northern Europe, but temperatures were below seasonal values last week. Precipitation was in the form of snowfall in Germany and rainfall in much of France and the UK. Temperatures were 3 to 7 degrees below normal in Germany and Scandinavia, and 1 to 5 degrees Celsius below normal in the UK, France, and Benelux. Daily high's were between 0 to 15 degrees Celsius in much of the UK and France, and -5 to 0 degrees Celsius in Germany and Scandinavia. Overnight low's were generally between -5 and -20 degrees Celsius.

Favourable conditions continued to benefit durum growing areas in southern Europe. Scattered light rains (5-25 mm) fell in much of the region and greater amounts fell in southern Italy and Spain. Temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees Celsius below normal in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Daily high's were generally between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius, and reached the upper-teens in southern Spain. Overnight low's were generally between -5 and 5 degrees Celsius.

Substantial snowfall amounts provided adequate snowcover to dormant winter grains in northern Europe, especially in Germany where colder temperatures prevailed. While the substantial rains were favourable for durum crops in southern Europe, the cold temperatures limited growth and development.

Cold temperatures continued in the Baltic region, but regular light snowfall maintained adequate protection to dormant cereals last week. The cold temperatures (3-10°C below normal) extended from the Baltic countries south to the Balkans. Precipitation amounts were light (5-10 mm) in much of Eastern Europe, except for the Balkans where precipitation reached 50 mm in places. Daily high’s were below the freezing mark in the north, reaching 5 degrees Celsius in the Baltic region, and 0 to 10 degrees Celsius in the Balkans. Overnight low’s generally dipped between -15 to -5 degrees Celsius in Balkans and reached as low as -30 to -20 degrees Celsius in the Baltic region.

The previous week's snowfall provided suitable snowcover to the dormant winter crops in central and northeastern Europe.

Cold weather continued across western Russia last week, with temperatures 8 to 12 degrees Celsius below average. Minimum temperatures reached as low as -20 to -35 degrees Celsius. Light to moderate precipitation (5-30 mm water equivalent) continued in much of the Southern District and Volga. The thick snow blanket is expected to adequately protect the winter grain crops. The snowpack is more than 10 cm in Volga and the Central Districts, and 5 to 10 cm in the Southern District.

The cold Siberian air mass spread again across eastern Russia last week, generating temperatures 8 to 12 degrees Celsius below the norm. Scattered, light precipitation (less than 10 mm water equivalent) was reported in Siberia and Urals. Daily high temperatures were between -20 and 10 degrees Celsius, and overnight low’s ranged from -40 to -25 degrees Celsius.

Light to moderate snowfall continued to build the snowpack protecting the dormant winter crops, while cold air continued across the Ukraine last week. Precipitation amounts varied between 5 and 25 mm water equivalent and covered much of the country. The heaviest precipitation fell across the east. Snowcover has exceeded 10 cm in all but the far south. Temperatures were more than 9 degrees Celsius below normal in the Ukraine. Daily high’s were below the freezing mark in all but the southern coast, ranging from -10 to +5 degrees Celsius. Overnight low’s ranged between -30 and -15 degrees Celsius from the north to the south.

Winter grain crops continue to be satisfactory, benefiting from adequate and timely snowfall amounts protecting them against cold snaps. The winterkill damage is expected to be limited so far.

Cold weather spread across Kazakhstan last week. Light precipitation (2-10 mm water equivalent) maintained the snowpack in much of the country. The heaviest amounts (10-25 mm) were reported in the southern growing areas. Temperatures were 5 to 9 degrees Celsius below normal in the north central region, and 1 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal in the south. Daily high’s were mostly between -15 to -5 degrees Celsius in the north, and -5 to 15 degrees Celsius in the south. Overnight low's ranged from 40 to 5 degrees Celsius from the north to the south.

Conditions were relatively dry in key wheat growing areas in China last week. Light flurries fell in the northern wheat growing areas. Showers and flurries (5-20 mm) were common in the southern winter wheat growing areas. Temperatures were 1 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal in the main growing areas. Daily high’s ranged between 0 to 10 degrees Celsius in the northern region, and 10 to 20 degrees Celsius in southern China. Overnight low's were between -15 and -30 degrees Celsius in the Northeast, -5 and -15 degrees Celsius in the North China Plain, and -5 and 5 degrees Celsius in the south.

Mostly dry conditions continued across India last week. Some scattered showers fell in northwestern wheat growing areas. Temperatures were normal to 1 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal in the prime wheat areas. Daily high's were between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius, and overnight low’s were above freezing. More rains are needed in the cereal-growing regions of India to maintain current irrigation reserve levels.

Some showers (<10 mm) fell in the Punjab region of Pakistan, with slightly heavier rains (5-15 mm) falling to the west. Temperatures were above normal in the north and below normal southward. Temperatures were above freezing, except in the north. In the short-term, cereals benefitted from the precipitation and moderate temperatures. In the long-term, further rains are needed to make up for the earlier moisture shortage.

Substantial rains and adequate temperatures continued to provide consistently ideal growing conditions to corn crops in South Africa last week. Precipitation amounts were moderate to heavy (25-120 mm) across the Cornbelt, with the highest amounts in the eastern Free State. No significant rains fell in the Western and Northern Cape and soil moisture levels in those areas are very low. Temperatures were generally normal across the corn area. Daily high’s were generally between 20 and 35 degrees Celsius, and overnight low's were above 8 degrees Celsius across the Cornbelt.

Moderate to heavy rains (25-100 mm) continued to fall in northern Morocco and eastern Algeria last week. Overall, light rains (5-25 mm) continued in the Wheat Belt across North Africa. The continued rains in northern Tunisia were particularly beneficial for rebuilding previously depleted soil moisture. Temperatures were generally 1 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal across the main growing areas. Morocco was the exception to this as temperatures were normal there. Daily high’s were between 10 to 20 across the region. Overnight low’s were above the freezing mark in all growing areas.

The rains continued to boost soil moisture supplies for the established crops across North Africa. The milder temperatures allowed growth to resume in the absence of heat stress. Nevertheless, fall drought has already affected the wheat yield potential in central Morocco and western Algeria. On the other hand, barley crops benefited from better than normal precipitation in southern Morocco so far.

Scattered light to moderate rain and snow (2-50 mm) fell in parts of Iran last week. The heaviest concentration was in the northern portion of the country. Above normal temperatures maintained minimum growth for crops in central and eastern areas. Temperatures were 3 to 7 degrees Celsius above average. Daily high’s were generally between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius, and overnight low’s remained below the freezing mark in much of the growing areas.

In the north, the snowpack has started to re-build, but further south, the warm temperatures melted protective snowcover. This has continued to stress the crops that resumed growth. Although subsoil moisture remains mostly sufficient, increasing evaporation is reducing the soil moisture supplies, and more precipitation is needed the coming weeks to boost cereal growth.

Moderate to heavy rains (25-100 mm) fell along the coast, but the primary growing areas received only scattered showers (<10 mm). Temperatures were normal to slightly below normal last week. Daily high’s were between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius. Overnight low’s were above the freezing mark only along the coast. Most areas dropped to slightly below freezing overnight. While the adequate soil moisture levels continue to support the vegetative grain crops, the freezing temperatures limited growth and may have led to some minor frost damage.

Rains continued across most of Turkey last week maintaining the current snow levels and soil moisture supplies. Precipitation amounts varied between 10 and 100 mm, with the highest rainfall in the southern and northern coast along with western regions. These rains continued to maintain adequate to abundant moisture supplies for grain crops across the country. Continued snowfall was reported in the higher altitudes last week. Temperatures were below normal. Daily high’s were mostly between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius, and reached the upper-teens in the southern coastal band. Overnight low's were only above the freezing mark in the southern coast. Overnight low’s were mostly in the -10 to -20 degree Celsius range in the Central Plateau. Temperatures dropped as low as -30 degrees Celsius in the northwest.