Overall unfavorable conditions were observed in Brazil from April to July. The harvest of the second maize is ongoing, and wheat is currently in the heading stage. Dry weather conditions were harmful for the second maize and other crops. In central and northern Brazil, 20% below average RAIN with 1.8°C above average temperature resulted in severe drought. Among the eight sub-national regions, the subtropical range-land region in the southernmost part of Brazil is the only region with above average rainfall. In Central Savanna, the Nordeste, East Coast region, and Mato Grosso, rainfall was 69%, 60%, 43%, and 32% below average, respectively, and crops suffered from water stress. In agreement with the unfavorable climatic conditions, BIOMSS was 26% below the five-year average and CALF for Brazil was 9 percentage points below. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI statistics also shows the overall poor crop condition with below average NDVI data since April. NDVI departure clusters present well below average NDVI in Mato Grosso, Goias, and Minas Gerais where rainfall was 38%, 64%, and 42% below average, respectively. Crops in those areas show below average condition with lower than 0.5 VCIx. Due to sufficient rainfall in the two major wheat producing states (Parana and Rio Grande do Sul) prospects are good for the crop if favorable climatic conditions persist.  

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI 

(b) Maximum VCI

(c) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA

(d) NDVI profiles corresponding to the areas in figure (c) with same color