In Poland, this monitoring period witnessed the harvest of maize (before October) and the sowing of winter wheat. The cropped arable land fraction (CALF) was close to average. From October to January, weather conditions were wetter and colder than average: rainfall departure was +31%, while temperature decreased 1.0°C. RADPAR decreased 14%, and the potential biomass production potential (BIOMSS) was below average due to the cold weather conditions.

As shown in the national crop condition development graph and the NDVI profiles, NDVI values were below average at the end of January in all but 20% of the croplands, which are located in the south around the Lesser Poland Voivedeship, the area with the warmest climate in Poland (Malopolske, Slaskie, and Opolskie). It is not clear to what extent this is due to snow, which covered the country from January 5 on forward: NDVI started dropping in November, when there was limited and only transient snow cover. 

The VCIx in Poland during this monitoring period was 0.88. The snow has probably protected crops from cold weather and will provide enough soil moisture. The outlook of winter crops is mixed to average.

(a)Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (b) Maximum VCI

(c) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA and the coresponding NDVI departure profiles