ADMS

The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation - State Research Institute Puławy has developed the climatic water balance for all of Poland (3,064 local districts). The assessment is based on the soil categories identified in the local districts according to their current state of agricultural drought risk for the following crops: winter and spring cereals, grain and silage maize, rape and turnip rape, potato, sugar beet, hops, tobacco, vegetables, shrubs and fruit trees, strawberries and legumes within the period of 1 May till 30 June 2012.

In the fourth reporting period from 1 May to 30 June 2012, there was no agricultural drought occurrence in Poland. The value of climatic water balance (CWB), on the basis of which the drought risk assessment is calculated was negative; however, these values are for those crops slightly higher than the critical value.

The lowest values of CWB in Poland were within the period 1.V- 30.VI in southern parts of the Mazowsze and Sląska lowlands, from -120 to -139 mm. Whereas positive values (20 to 40 mm) occurred in the Central Beskid Mountains.

CWB values in the country relative to the situation ten days ago grew by an average of 15 mm, which means that the current deficit of water for plants is smaller. The highest increase in the CWB (approximately 50 mm) occurred in northern parts of Poland, where ten days ago had the big water deficit.

In May, there was very low rainfall on the Coastland and the in a broad belt to the west of the Vistula River which was 30-60% of the normal long-term value. While the highest rainfall occurred in the Carpathian, Warmia, Mazury, and in western Poland 100-140% of long-term norm (1971-2000).

The air temperature in May in Poland was higher than the norm of 1-2°C, only in the vicinity of Bialystok did not exceed the norm.

In June, the lowest rainfall occurred on the Szczecińska Lowlands, southern parts of Mazowsze, Śląsko-Krakowska Highland and  in Lubelska Highlands (from 60-90 mm), and the highest was in Pojezierze Mazurskie, Podlasie, Carpathian region and Wzniesieniach Zielonogórskich (from 110 to 160 mm).

In June it was very diverse in terms of heat from very cold in areas of the north, where temperatures ranged from 14 to 15°C, to very warm areas in the south of the country, where there it recorded at 18 to 18.5°C.

Throughout the sixty day period, the lowest precipitation (from 70 to 130 mm) occurred in the Northern western parts of the Poland, the south of Mazowsze, in the Śląsko –Krakowskiej Uplands and the Lublin Uplands. Whilst the highest rainfall was recorded in Mazury Lakelands, Podlasie, the Carpathians and Wzniesieniach Zielonogórskich (from 165 to 300 mm). During this period, the highest evapotranspiration occurred in the south of Mazowsze and Śląsko-Krakowskie Uplands (220-240 mm) and lowest on the Szczecin Coastland (185-200 mm).

In the south of the Mazowsze and Śląsko-Krakowskie Uplands, the precipitation was the lowest and highest evapotranspiration; hence, these areas had the highest water deficit for crops and fruit andorchards. However, in the North western areas of Poland reported relatively low precipitations and the potential evapotranspiration at the same time was low which meant that there was no danger in these areas of drought.