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, corn for grain and silage, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, tobacco, field vegetables, shrubs and fruit trees, strawberries and legumes.

In the eighth reporting period, i.e. from June 11 to August 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 values of the CWB from -170 to -189 mm occurred in the Środkowomazowiecka Lowlands and eastern parts of Południowomazowieckie Hills. A slightly smaller water deficit was recorded in the Lowlands: Północnomazowiecka, Poludniowopodlaska and the western territory of the Lublin Uplands, in those areas the water deficit ranged from -150 to -169 mm. The relatively large water shortages have also been reported in other areas of south-eastern Poland, and in these areas the water deficit ranged from -120 to -149 mm. In the north, north-east and south-west parts of Poland, the CWB ranged from -50 to -119 mm.

CWB values, relative to the situation of the prior 10 days have decreased by an average of 44 mm. This is the second consecutive sixty days period in which these values were reduced. A large area of Poland (except the mountains and its adjacent areas) has a water deficit now. During the sixty day recorded period, a particularly large reduction of the CWB, by up to 100 mm in southern parts of country were recorded. However, in the northern parts, the water deficit was reduced in some areas by up to 25 mm.

June this year in terms of thermal conditions was varied. The highest air temperature occurred in eastern Poland, reaching more than 17.5-18.5°C. East of the Wisła River, the temperature was higher than the long-term average (1971-2000) by more than 2°C, central Poland was higher by 1-2°C. To the west of the country, the air temperature was lower and reached from 15.5 to17°C. In the north - west and south - western Poland saw air temperatures close to the long-term average.

In July, the highest air temperature was recorded in south-western Poland, from 19.5 to 20.5°C, in the north-east direction the temperature was dropping and at the ends of the country, the Suwalki Lake District was 17.5-18°C.

In the first ten days of August, the air temperature was very high. The maximum temperature reached 35-37°C. The highest average ten-day air temperature was over 22°C and occurred in the whole of southern Poland, and the highest from 23 to 23.5°C was recorded in the Śląsko-Krakowska and Małopolska Highlands and the western areas of the Śląska Lowlands. In Poland, the north was a bit cooler. The coldest area, but still warm, was on the coastal area, in this region the average ten days air temperature was 20 to 21°C.

Very high air temperatures and high insolation in the last ten days of July caused a high level of evapotranspiration during the sixty-day period. The average evapotranspiration for country was 258 mm compared to the situation from ten days ago, has increased by 18 mm. The highest evapotranspiration occurred in the area of the Lublin Uplands and the Śląska and Wielkopolska Lowlands, in these areas; it was 270-280 mm. The area with the highest values of evapotranspiration, was recorded at the same time the largest increase of those values by approximately 30 mm.

Precipitation in June was very diverse. The lowest rainfall ranged from 30-60 mm and occurred in the north of the country (Embankment and Południowobałtycki Lake district). The highest was recorded on the Śląsko-Krakowska and Malopolska Highlands (160-180 mm) while in Sudety, very high rainfall was recorded, even as high as 200 mm. The norms of precipitation almost throughout the country have been greatly exceeded; the highest was even up to 200% in the western parts of the Południowowielkopolska Plains and the eastern areas Południowomazowieckich Hills and the Śląsko-Łużycka Lowlands. Only in the area of Gdansk and Koszalin Embankment, precipitation for June was close to 100% of the long-term norm.

Poland in terms of precipitation in July was also very diverse with the lowest rainfall occurring in Mazowsze, which ranged from 20 to 30 mm. However, the highest rainfall was recorded in the Mazurskie Lake District and the Zachodniosudeckim foothills and was about 100 mm.

In the first ten days of August, the lowest rainfall from a few to 10 mm was recorded in south-eastern and eastern Poland, and in some places of this area there was no precipitation. The highest rainfall ranging from 50 to 70 mm were recorded in the south-western and north-eastern Polish territory.

The significant reduction in the water deficit, which occurred during this sixty days period, will cause a yield decrease in many crops. Because of a shortage of rainfall, lower yields may occur especially in plants such as hops, tobacco, fruit plants, legumes, potatoes. The current weather is favourable for crops that are in the harvest.