ADMS

The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation - State Research Institute in accordance with an Act from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has developed the climatic water balance for all Polish municipalities (3,064 municipalities), and based on the soils categories have identified in those municipalities the current agricultural drought risk for the following crops: winter and spring cereals, oilseed rape and turnip rape, sugar beet, shrubs and fruit trees and strawberries.

In the second reporting period, i.e. from April 11 to June 10, 2013, IUNG-PIB does not state a risk of agricultural drought in Poland. The values of climatic water balance (CWB), which are the basis to assess the risk of drought in most areas, are negative, but these values for the above-mentioned crops are much higher than the critical value. The lowest CWB values occurred in Pobrzeże Koszalińskie and Gdańskie, in the Wschodniopomorskim and Iławski lake districts as well as in the Lower Vistula Valley and Staropruskiej Plain reaching from -60 to -89 mm.

However, the highest values of the CWB (positive) was reported at the Południowomazowieckich Hills ranging from 100 to 120 mm. CWB values, relative to the situation of the prior 10 days in the country increased by an average of 13 mm, which means that the current water excess to plants is even higher. The highest increase Of the CWB was about 80 mm and occurred in the vicinity of Krakow.

This year, throughout a large proportion of the Polish territory i.e. the north-eastern and eastern parts of the country, the snow cover was present until mid-April. The cover in this area was also relatively thick and very thick, from 20 to 50 cm.

However, the rest of the country was also reported with a record thick snow covering of up to 10 to 20 cm. Only the coastal areas saw a thin (a few cm) covering of snow for a few days in April.

April this year in terms of thermal conditions was varied. The highest air temperature occurred in southern Poland, reaching more than 9°C (in the Sandomierz Basin and Śląska Uplands), and in the rest of the country the temperature ranged from 6 to 9°C. In the north of the country (the eastern part), the temperature was lower (4-6°C). In most parts of the Poland, the air temperature was close to the long-term average (of three decades from 1971 to 2000), by 1-1.5°C was higher in the south-eastern part of the country, while in north-east part was lower by 1-1.5°.

May this year, in terms of temperature was also varied. The highest air temperature occurred in eastern Poland, reaching more than 16oC, and further west it was cooler. On the western edge of the country, the air temperature was 12-13°C. In most parts of the country, the air temperature in May was higher than the long-term average by 1-2°C.

A similar situation was observed in the first decade of June, in the east of the country where the air temperature reached 17-17,5°C, while in the west 13-14°C.

In April, a high diversity in precipitation was found. Very low rainfall, less than 20 mm occurred in the Wielkopolska Lake District and Małopolska Uplands, they accounted for less than 50% of normal long-term value. Low rainfall ranging 20-30 mm occurred in the western part of the country and the Śląsko Krakowska Uplands, and was 50-90% of norm for these areas. However, in the east of the country the rainfall was high, at 50-60 mm (about 130-150% of norm).

In May, the lowest precipitation occurred in the north-east of the country (50-60 mm). Slightly larger precipitation occurred in a wide belt of central Poland, west of the Vistula (60-100 mm). The highest rainfall recorded in the Mazowiecka and Śląska Lowlands and the Śląsko-Krakowska Uplands (from 120 to 180 mm).

Precipitation in the first ten days of June were very diverse, ranging from small few millimetres in the north of the country (Embankment and Południowobałtyckie Lake district) up to 100 mm Śląsko-Krakowskiej and Małopolskiej Highlands and even over 180 mm in the Sudety mountains.

Heavy rainfall that occurred across the country and occurs at a time of relatively high temperatures could create a major shock of cereals and oilseed rape. There is a high risk for the development of many fungal diseases in cereals such as leaf septoria, brown leaf spot, leaf rust, in the case of rape - stem rot.

In many areas of Poland, after such very heavy precipitations, creates a high risk due to large accumulations of water on the fields. The remaining water can cause field crops to rot, and it should be noted that an excess of water for the plants is more dangerous in comparison to its deficiency.