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 11, 2014, 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 CWB, occurred in a similar area as in previous reporting periods. In the current reporting period, these values were approx. 10 mm higher than the previous ones. In the Central Noteć Valley and in the Toruń Basin, these values ranged from -180 to -189 mm. The continued low CWB values were noted in Chełmiński Lakeland, Świecka Uplands, in the Iława Lake District, in areas of Chodzieskiego and Gniezno Lake District and on the Inowrocławska Plain, from -150 to -179 mm.

The highest values of CWB, amounting to approximately -50 mm were recorded over a large part of the country in the south-east, south-western, southern, western and north-eastern Poland.

Changes in the CWB value on Polish territory to the previous reporting period were significantly differentiated. There have been areas with a significant reduction of CWB, of up to 50mm in the eastern parts of Poland (Suwalki Lake District), as well as the territories with the large increase in these values as high as 100 mm in the mountain and the foothills. The national average value of CWB decreased by 16 mm.

Taking into account three periods of June, we can conclude that it the coldest was in the north-eastern Poland, and ranged from 14 do15°C, in the mountains it was even colder, below 13°C. In the most territory temperature was between 15 to 17°C. In terms of the temperature in compare to long term average this month should be regarded as normal, only the north-east air temperature was lower than norm by about 1 °C.

The first ten days of July was relatively warm. The warmest area was in the northern part of the country, from 20 to 21.5°C, but without the Podlasie Lowland and eastern parts of the Mazury Lake District, where the air temperature in these areas ranged from 19 to 20°C. In the south of the country the temperature was lower, less than 19°C, and definitely the coldest was in Podhale and the Bieszczady Mountains amounting around  17.5°C.

The second ten days of July was a large area of the country very warm. In the south-west parts of country average air temperature was above 21oC and in some places in this area, even exceed 22oC. For the rest of the Poland temperature ranged from 18.5 to 21°C, only in the northern reaches of the country was a bit cooler with temperatures below 18.5°C.

The third ten days of July was also very warm, warmer even in the second ten days of this month. In the most territory of the country recorded a temperatures from 20.5 to 22.5°C, only on the coast and in the mountains it was a bit cooler around 20°C. The hottest was in Warmia around 23°C.

The first ten days period of August was another very warm period of the current sixty days period. To the west of the Wisła river, air temperature ranged from 20.5 to 21.5°C, only the north and south of the area was a bit cooler with temperatures being less than 20.5°C. In contrast, east of the Wisła river was warmer temperature were from 21.5°C to above 22.5°C (warmest was in the eastern part of the country).

Taking into account the whole month of June, we can conclude that in the eastern part of the country precipitation ranged from 60 to over 120 mm, with the largest occurred in the eastern part of Poland. In this area, they accounted for 100 to more than 160% of long-term norm. However, in the western part of the country rainfall was much smaller and ranged from 30 to 40 mm, which accounted for 50-80% of long-term norm.

The first decade of July was characterized by great diversity in terms of precipitation. Very large precipitation occurred in the Izerskie Foothills, in the Western Carpathians, Śląskio-Krakowska and  Lublin Upland, as well as in Oleśnicka Plain, in these regions recorded rainfall ranged from 50 to over 100 mm. On the large Polish area precipitation ranged from 10 to 50 mm, while the smallest rainfall was recorded in north-eastern part of the country, amounting to less than 10 mm.

In the second ten days of July precipitation in the country were very different. In areas where it was warmest (in the south-western part of the Poland) rainfall was very small, less than 10 mm. In contrast, in areas where the air temperature was slightly lower - precipitation were higher, ranging from 10 to 50 mm, and in the Gory Świetokrzyskie, in the Sandomierz Basin, Karpaty Foothills and in the Beskidy Mountains were much higher, ranged from 50 to 125 mm.

In the third ten days of July the northern part of the country was characterized by low rainfall, amounting from 10 to 25 mm, while the southern part was characterised with heavy rain ranging from 25 to 150 mm, while in the mountains, these values were even exceed 200 mm.

The first ten days of August was characterized by considerable diversity in terms of precipitation. On the majority of the country rainfall ranged from 10 to 50 mm and wherein approx. for half of this area rainfall was ranging from 25 to 50 mm. The highest values of rainfall was recorded in the Mazowsze Lowland, in the south-western regions of the Mazury Lake District and the Karpaty Foothills and Western Beskidy Mountains, rainfall in these areas ranged from 50 to 100 mm. Throughout the country there have been relatively small areas with very low rainfall amounting to less than 10 mm. The areas include: Suwalskie and Starogardzkie Lake District, Bory Tucholskie, Śląska and Lublin Upland, Foothills: Rzeszów, Dynowskie and Przemyskie.