Crop condition was below average in most parts of the continental Western European MPZ, based on the integration of agroclimatic and agronomic indicators.

Total precipitation was 25% below the recent average, but with exceptional positive departures over most of Germany, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Spain, the southern part of northern France, and the east of the United Kingdom in early July and middle August and during the second half of September. The west and east of France suffered a precipitation shortfall in late August. Temperature showed an increase of 0.3°C over average and radiation was about average. Below average temperatures were observed in most parts of Western Europe after early September except for Spain. In August, a heat wave occurred across the whole of Europe and felt mostly in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, and Switzerland; in parts of Spain temperatures approached 40 degrees from June to middle August, a historical record. The unfavorable climatic conditions (low rain and high temperature) were not beneficial for late crop development and maturation.

Due to the rainfall deficit, the biomass accumulation potential, BIOMSS, was 18% below the recent five-year average. The spatial distribution of BIOMSS shows that the lowest values (-20% and below) occur over most of France, Spain, northern Germany, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. The values for minimum VHI confirm the water deficit in those regions over the last four months. In contrast, BIOMSS in most other regions was 10% above average.

According to the VCIx map, crop condition was below average in most of Spain, France, and Germany, compared with other regions in the MPZ. Average VCIx for the MPZ was 0.81. Cropping intensity (115%) was down 10 percentage points compared with the five-year-average and only 91% of the arable land was cropped across the MPZ. Most uncropped arable land was concentrated in Spain throughout this reporting period.

Generally, the condition of summer crops in the MPZ was below average and more rain will be needed to ensure adequate soil moisture supply for the ongoing winter crop season.

a. Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles                 b. Profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm)

c. Spatial distribution of temperature profiles        d. Profiles of temperature departure from average (°C)

e. Maximum VCI                                                    f. Cropped arable land

g. Biomass accumulation potential departure         h. VHI minimum

i.Croppingintensity