This reporting period was the critical growth season of summer crops in North America, including maize, rice, spring wheat and soybeans. The agro-climatic condition were extremely wet: rain was significantly above (+30%), and temperature was below (by 0.3℃) average, however with significant spatial differences across the region. Sunshine as measured by the RADPAR indicator was average.

The Great Plains and Canadian Prairie were dominated by above average precipitation, especially in the north and east of the Great Plains. Large variations in precipitation were observed over time in the lower Mississippi, where the departure reached to -30 mm in late August but +75 mm in late October. Above average temperature was observed up to late September, but since then temperature declined rapidly in the Great Plains and the Prairies, reaching -7.0℃ in late October.

Figure 1 Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles

Figure 2 Spatial distribution of temperature profiles

As a whole, potential biomass in the region was close to average, but a marked north-south gradient characterizes the variable: negative departures in excess of 20% in the Prairies and the northern Great Plains, but positive departures between 10% and 20% in other regions, from Texas to the East Coast.

The cropped arable land fraction (CALF) was up 2% compared to the average of the last 5 years and the cropping intensity reached 103%, up 8% over average.

Figure 3 Potential biomass departure from 15YA

Figure 4 Cropped and uncropped arable land

Figure 5 Cropping intensity (2019)

According to VCIx favorable crop conditions were observed in northern Canada and northern Great Plain, with average crop condition in the corn belt, and unfavorable conditions in the southern Great Plains where WHIn identifies drought conditions.

Overall, CropWatch assesses the situation in North America as close to average.

Figure 6 Maximum VCI

Figure 7 VHI Minimum