Ukraine. Growth in winter crops stopped early in January

Weather conditions. Climate conditions in 2019 differed substantially from the long-term average in terms of the impact on crops. Air temperatures in 2019 turned out to be the highest on record, since 1900. The average annual air temperature turned out to be 2.7°C (2.0-3.3°C) above normal (1961-1990) and 1.8°С (1.5-2.0°C) above the long-term average in 1981-2010.

Moisture supply. The average annual amount of precipitation in the country totaled 87% of normal, being just 73% in the Forest-Steppe zone. The lowest precipitation rates were registered in Odesa, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Ternopil regions, where they were at 50-65% of their normal annual value.

Crop condition. Due to abnormally warm weather on December 21-31, slow growth was observed in winter crops all over the country, except for the eastern regions (average and peak temperatures were lower there). Plants are rated fair to good. Growth in winter crops stopped late in December and early in January. The lowest soil temperature at the depth of the tillering node of winter crops at cold nights dropped to 0°C – 3°C below zero – this is far above the critical killing temperature, reports UkrAgroConsult.