Winter crops across most of Ukraine enter shallow dormancy phase

According to agrometeorological observations, winter crops across most of Ukraine have fully entered the shallow dormancy phase since the beginning of the first decade of December, the Ukrhydrometeorological Center reported in its ten-day summary.

Experts noted that only in the southernmost regions and some central districts, warm weather allowed slow growth processes in winter crops. Adequate soil warmth and optimal moisture created favorable conditions for rooting.

“The minimum soil temperature at the tillering node (3 cm depth) for winter crops and perennial grasses in most regions ranged from 0°С to +5°С, with some areas in Chernihiv and Sumy regions dropping to –1 to –2°С, which is well above the critical freezing threshold. No hazardous events for winter crops were recorded during the period,” the report stated.

Overall, Ukraine experienced anomalously warm weather for early winter during the reporting period. Specialists noted that on the warmest days, air temperatures were 6–8°С above normal.

“Temperature readings corresponded to those typical for early November. This was one of the warmest first decades of December on record, with only 2008 being warmer. Fog, drizzle, rain, snow, and wet snow were observed on some days. On December 10, temporary snow cover formed in Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk regions, and parts of Chernihiv, Poltava, and Zaporizhzhia regions, but quickly melted under high daytime temperatures,” added the agrometeorologists.

Tags: Ukraine, crop condition