During the current monitoring period, crop condition was below average in most parts of the continental Western European MPZ based on the integration of agroclimatic and agronomic indicators. Summer crops were completely harvested, and winter crops were planted and reached over-wintering stages. Figure 2.5 represents an overview of CropWatch agroclimatic and agronomic indicators for this MPZ.

The agroclimatic indicators show that total rainfall was 29% below average, with exceptional positive departures over most of the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, middle-northern Germany, and eastern Denmark from October to early November, in northern Italy in mid-October, and in south and southeast France and northern Spain in late November. Occasional and scattered snowfall started early (November) and was more abundant in 2016-17 than in previous years; it also persisted longer than usual due to cold weather. Starting from the first week of January to the end of the month, the snow covered almost the whole MPZ from the east to the eastern fringe of France (Alsace), the country that experienced the largest negative temperature anomaly of the MPZ. 

Substantially drier-than-usual conditions in early October in France and western Germany hampered the sowing of winter cereals. In northeastern Austria and northern Italy, heavy rains in the first half of October somewhat delayed part of the harvest of grain and maize and the sowing of winter crops, but benefited the emergence of winter crops that had been sown earlier. Temperatures over the whole MPZ were below average (-2.3°C), and temperature profiles indicate that above average temperatures were observed in northern Germany and Denmark from mid-November to early January. Radiation was 2% below average.

Due to the continuous rainfall deficit, especially after November, and coupled with the impact of low temperature (in particular in France, the United Kingdom, and Spain), the biomass accumulation potential BIOMSS was 20% below the recent five-year average. The lowest values (-20% and below) occur over most parts of the continental Western European MPZ (mainly concentrated in France, the United Kingdom, the south and east of Spain, and the south and northwest of Germany). In those regions, values for minimum VHI also confirm the water deficit to a certain extent. In contrast, BIOMSS was above average (sometimes exceeding a 10% departure) in parts of Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, central Spain, northern Italy, and northeast Germany.

Maximum VCI was relatively low in most of Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Czech Republic, northern Italy, southeast Hungary, southwest Slovakia, and northern Austria. Average VCIx for the MPZ was 0.81. Overall, 88% of arable land in the MPZ was cropped during this reporting period, 2 percentage points below average. Most uncropped arable land was concentrated in Spain and scattered in northern and southern Italy, central and southern France, southeast Hungary, and southwest Slovakia.

Overall, crop condition is currently average or below average along an east-west gradient.

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