2.6 Western Europe

In general, crop condition was above average in most parts of the continental Western European MPZ during this reporting period, favoring winter crop grain filling and harvesting, as well as growth of spring crops. The figures present an overview of CropWatch agroclimatic and agronomic indicators for this MPZ. 

The agroclimatic indicators show that total rainfall was 5% below average over the region, resulting from marked negative departures in Spain, most of France, central and east Italy, central and east Slovakia, north Hungary, northeast Austria, and the west and east of the Czech Republic. The most severely affected three countries were Spain (RAIN, -29%), Italy (-26%), and France (-23%). Exceptional positive departures, however, were recorded (i) from mid-April to late April, mid-May, early and late June, and after mid-July over most of Germany, England, Denmark, most of the Czech Republic, northwest Austria, the southwest of Slovakia, and southern Hungary and (ii) in mid-May and early and late June in Spain, most of France, and in the center and east of Italy. Abundant precipitation was recorded in northern Germany, southern Hungary, the middle England, and in northeast Austria from mid-June to early-July. More rain is needed in some Western European countries for summer crops. Radiation for the MPZ as a whole was slightly below average with RADPAR at -1%.

Temperature for the MPZ as a whole was above average (+0.8°C); below average temperatures were observed from mid-April to early May in most of Italy, northern England, southwest and west France, and in northern Denmark. Low minimum temperatures that set in after mid-April are likely to have affected flowering rapeseed in eastern France, western and southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary. Unusually cold conditions occurred in large parts of western, central, and northern Europe, affecting rapeseed flowering in Germany and Central Europe in May. A less severe cold spell occurred at the beginning of May, mainly affecting the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Warmer-than-usual weather conditions prevailed in the Iberian Peninsula, France, southeastern England, and Italy. An extreme heat spell affected the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and southern Hungary at the beginning of June.

Due to hot (especially after mid-May) and dry weather conditions, the biomass accumulation potential BIOMSS was 3% below the recent five-year average. The lowest BIOMSS values (-20% and less) occurred in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, southwest Germany, the south of Hungary, southern Czech Republic, and northwest Austria. In contrast, BIOMSS was above average (sometimes exceeding a 10% departure) in the north of Germany and the north of the Czech Republic, south Slovakia, and the north of Hungary. The average maximum VCI for the MPZ reached a value of 0.90 during this reporting period, indicating favorable crop condition. More than 96% of arable lands were cropped, which is the same as the recent five-year average. Most uncropped arable land is concentrated in Spain and southeast Italy. 

Generally, crop condition in the Western Europe MPZ was mixed: just fair in the west and favorable in the east. More rain is needed in summer crop production areas to sustain good yields.

Figure 2.5a. Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles (left) and profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm) (right), April-July 2017

Figure 2.5b. Spatial distribution of temperature profiles (left) and profiles of temperature departure from average (°C) (right), April-July 2017

Figure 2.5c. Maximum VCI, April-July 2017

Figure 2.5d. Cropped and uncropped arable land, April-July 2017

Figure 2.5e. Biomass accumulation potential departure, April- July 2017

Figure 2.5f. VHI minimum, April-July 2017