This reporting period covers January to April 2018 and it is the key growth stage of the winter crops of North America. Due to unfavorable weather condition, the crop growth condition was below 15YA average in general.

The agroclimatic indicators show that rainfall was 4% above average, while the temperature was below by 1.4°C, RAPAR was significantly 5% below average. The downtrend of precipitation was maintained in south and north part of the great plain since the late of February 2018. Below average precipitation was also dropped in major winter crop MRUs, including Cotton Belt to Mexican Nordeste (-3%), Northern Great Plains (-5%), SW U.S. and N. Mexican highlands (-11%), and RAPAR was significantly below the average, such as Northern Great Plains (-4%), Cotton Belt to Mexican Nordeste (-5%), SW U.S. and N. Mexican highlands (-4%). The drought phenomenon in Southern Plain was also reported U.S. Drought Monitor.

Below average precipitation and RAPAR were unfavorable for the growth of winter crop. The generally below average crop condition in the MPZ is proved by a low average VCIx value (0.62), especially its value was below 0.5in the great plain, indicating the bad crop condition. Unfavorable weather condition resulted in a biomass accumulation potential drop of 12%, especially in the west and north part of the great plain, biomass accumulation potential was below more than 20%. As an important factor of production, the cropped arable land fraction was below 29% compared to 5YA average. 

Considering the unfavorable weather and far below the average of agronomic indicators, as the major winter crop, below average production of winter wheat was estimated by CropWatch.