ADMS

In the fifth reporting period from 11 May to 10 July 2012, the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation - State Research Institute Puławy does not state an agricultural drought occurrence in Poland. IUNG-PIB has developed the value of climatic water balance (CWB), for all 3,064 local districts of Poland. 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 maize and silage, rape and turnip rape, potato, sugar beet, hops, tobacco, vegetables, shrubs and fruit trees, strawberries and legumes. 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 that are slightly higher than the critical value.

In the period 11 May - 10 July 2012, the lowest value of CWB, from -100 to -119 mm, occurred in the southern parts of Mazowsze and Śląska and Południowowielkopolska Lowland. Whereas positive values (from 0 to 10 mm) occurred in the central Beskidy Mountains.

The CWB values relative to the situation prior to the 10 days of the country, decreased marginally (by an average of 4 mm). This means that the current water deficit to plants is similar to the previous sixty day period. The largest decrease of CWB (about 20-30 mm) occurred in Lubuskie, while the largest increase of these values (10-20 mm) was recorded in Warmia and Mazury.

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

The air temperature in May in Poland was higher than the norm by 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 Highlands and the Lubelska Highlands (from 60-90 mm), and the highest was in Pojezierze Mazurskie, Podlasie, Carpathian, Wzniesieniach Zielonogórskich regions (from 110 to 160 mm).

In June for Poland was very diverse in terms of temperature from very cold areas in the north, where temperatures ranged from 14 to 15 °C, to very warm areas in the south of the country, where recorded from 18 to 18.5 ^oC.

Poland in terms of precipitation in the first ten days of July was very diverse. The lowest rainfall occurred in the south-eastern area of Poland, in Wielkopolska and on the coast (from 5 to 35 mm). Whilst the highest rainfall was recorded in south-western area of Poland, Warmia and Mazury the Krakowsko-Częstochowska Uplands, and the south of Mazowsze (50-150 mm).

In the first ten days of July the Polish territory had a large variation in air temperature and sunshine duration. The lowest temperature recorded in the north (17.5 °C) and highest in south-eastern Poland (25 °C). A very similar distribution occurred for the sunshine, on the north-west of the country there was an average of only five hours per day with sun, whilst in the south-east up to 12 hours.

Throughout the sixty day period, the lowest precipitation (from 110 to 170 mm) occurred in the North-western parts of the Poland, the south of Mazowsze, Śląsko-Krakowska Uplands and the Lublin Uplands. Whilst the highest rainfall was recorded in the Mazury Lakeland, Podlasie, Carpathian and Wzniesieniach Zielonogórskich regions (from 215 to 300 mm). During this period, the highest evapotranspiration occurred in southern Highlands of Mazowsze and the Śląsko-Krakowska and the Lublin Uplands (220-240 mm) and lowest in the Szczecin Coastland and a wide belt of northern Poland (190-210 mm).

As in the previous sixty day period, south of Mazowsze and the Śląsko-Krakowska Uplands, the precipitation was the lowest and highest evapotranspiration, hence these areas had the highest water deficit for crops, orchards and horticultural. However, in the North-western areas of Poland noted relatively low rainfall and low evapotranspiration potential at the same time which meant that for crops in these areas a risk of agricultural drought did not occur.