Overall, when integrating the findings of the various agroclimatic andagronomic indicators, crop condition was below average in most parts ofWestern Europe during this reporting period. Figure 2.5 represents anoverview of CropWatch agroclimatic and agronomic indicators for this MPZ.

Total precipitation was 15% below the recent average, with exceptionalpositive departures over most of France and the southwest and the north ofGermany from late August to early September, the south-east of France andthe east as well as the centre of Italy from late August to October, and inmost parts of Hungary after mid September. Temperature showed adecrease of 0.3°C compared to average and radiation was about average. Thebelow average climatic conditions were not beneficial for latecrop development and maturation.

Due to the rainfall deficit, the biomass accumulation potential, BIOMSS,was 13% below the recent five-year average. The spatial distribution of BIOMSSshows that the lowest values (-20% and below) occur over most of France, Spain,Germany, Czechia, northern Italy, northwest Austria as well as southern andeastern Germany. The values for minimum VHI confirm the water deficit in thoseregions over the last four months. In contrast, BIOMSS in most other regionswas 10% above average. 

Cropping intensity (125%) was down 2% compared with thefive-year-average and  91% of the arable land was cropped between Julyand October 2014, 1 percentage point lower than the recent five-year average;most uncropped arable land was concentrated in Spain throughout thisreporting period. Accordingly, maximum VCI in Spain was loweras well, compared with other regions in the MPZ. Average VCIx for the MPZ was 0.76.

Generally, crop condition in Western Europe was below average.Pixels with low minimum VHI (below 15) are found scattered over most ofFrance, Spain, southern Germany, Czechia and northern Italy. Figure2.5 presents an overview of CropWatch agroclimatic and agronomic indicators.

Figure 2.5. Western Europe MPZ:Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, July-October 2015