Over the reporting period, winter crops in Inner Mongolia cannot survive due to very low temperatures. Prevailing conditions nevertheless will influence the forthcoming spring crop season. Compared with average conditions, the CropWatch agroclimatic indicators show a very significant increase of RAIN (+151%) and a decrease of RADPAR (-4%), while TEMP was about average (+0.7°C). BIOMSS, however, was significantly above the five-year average for the same period (+91%).

From October, below average conditions had little effect as the crops had reached maturity, even if excess rainfall locally hampered harvesting. Abundant snow since December will provide favorable soil moisture for the sowing of upcoming spring crops. Potential biomass during the monitoring period in most areas of Inner Mongolia was at least 20% above average, but 10% below average in the north. Some risk exists that higher than average temperature may have some influence on spring crops by prematurely depleting reserved soil moisture.

a. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

b. Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA      c.NDVI profiles

d. Maximum VCI

e. Biomass