ADMS

In the thirteenth reporting period i.e. from 1 August to 30 September 2010, there was no occurrence of agricultural drought conditions in Poland. The values of climatic water balance (CWB), on the basis of which the risk assessment of drought is calculated were positive almost everywhere in Poland. The calculated values of CWB for the above-mentioned crops are much higher than the critical value.

This year, August was very warm. The highest average temperature (over 20°C) occurred in the Lublin region, while the lowest around 17°C in the Przedgórze Sudeckie and Pogórze Zachodniosudeckie.

However, in September throughout the country it was definitely colder, the air temperature ranged from 10-13°C. The lowest temperature was in Sudety (below 11°C), and the highest at the coast, where the temperature slightly exceeded 13°C.

In August, also a large variation in sum of precipitation took place. The high rainfall was recorded in western and north-western parts of Poland and Western Beskidy, locally exceeding 200 mm (significantly higher than the long-term norm). However, lower precipitation, not exceeding 80 mm (close to normal) occurred on the Silesian Plains and Uplands.

In September, very heavy rainfall also took place in southern and northern Poland, ranging from 100 to 150 mm, which is 200-300% of the norm. For the rest of the country the rainfall was also significant, ranging from 50 to 100 mm (i.e. 100-200% of the norm).

In the sixty-day period, (average 10 mm), decreases in the value of CWB compared to the previous period was calculated. The largest decreases were recorded in Podkarpackie and Żywiec region from -50 to over -80 mm, but in the area the value of CWB are still very high, ranging from 100 to 180 mm. However, in south-western during this period has been a significant increase in the value of CWB, 40 to 80 mm. The highest value of CWB, even more than 200 mm occur in the Sudety, and slightly less for the Żywiec region. Such high CWB values indicate a large excess of water. The lowest CWB values occurred in Mazury, Opole region and Wielkopolska (-15 to 20 mm) and in those parts of Poland the soil moisture is the best.