During this reporting period, winter crops were overwintering or beyond and summer crops have been planted. Crop  condition  was  above average in many parts of the continental Western European MPZ based on the integration of agroclimatic and agronomic indicators (figure 2.5).  

Although total  rainfall  was  very close to average (+1%) vastly different patterns were recorded across the MPZ. Marked negative departures occurred in (1) vast areas in the United  Kingdom, Hungary, east of Austria and south of Slovakia from January to early-February;  (2) large parts of the Mediterranean region ( Iberian Peninsula, Italian Peninsula), the  Czech  Republic, northeast of Austria and south of Germany from mid-January to early-February and after late-March; (3) Denmark, most of Germany and north of France from early-February to late-February. The most severely affected countries were the  Czech  Republic (RAIN, -23%), Italy (-19%),  Austria (-14%), France (-13%) and Spain (-10%). Rain is badly needed in these regions to restore soil water reserves and create favorable conditions for the growth of winter crops. Abundant precipitation occurred at the end of February and the beginning of March in large parts of Spain, Italy, France and UK). The excess of rain caused delays to spring and summer crop sowing in large regions of France, Italy, the UK and Hungary.

Radiation for the MPZ as a whole was 7% below average, and so was temperature (-0.4°C). Below average temperatures were observed in most parts of the MPZ from late-January to mid-March. During the end of February and the begin of March, the central region of the MPZ was under the influence of a cold spell, with minimum temperatures that ranged from -10.0°C and below (France and Germany) to -20.0°C (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary). A second cold spell affected the central region of the MPZ during the second half of March, with minimum temperatures below -8.0°C. Such conditions caused delays to the start of spring crop sowing and hampered the growth and development of winter crops; they did not, however,  cause substantial damage to the crops.

Due to uneven distribution of the rainfall and overall suitable temperature, the biomass accumulation potential BIOMSS was 2% above the recent five-year average. The lowest BIOMSS values (-20% and less) occurred in the central and west of France, north of Italy, most of the  Czech  Republic and Austria. In contrast, BIOMSS was above average (sometimes exceeding a 10% departure) over north of the France, most of Germany and Hungary, east of UK and most of Spain. More than 93% of arable lands were cropped, which is  2%  below  the recent  five-year  average. Most uncropped arable land is concentrated in Spain, northern Italy, south-eastern France，as well as discrete distributions in in Austria, Hungary, southwest England.The average maximum VCI for the MPZ reached 0.84 during this reporting period, indicating favorable crop condition.

Generally,  crop  condition  of winter crops in Western  Europe  was  favorable,  but  more  rain  will be  needed  in  several important crop production areas to ensure an adequate soil moisture supply for the ongoing winter crop season to sustain good yields.

Figure 2.5. Western Europe MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators,  January-April 2018. 

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 (mm) 

e. Maximum VCI                                                  f. Cropped arable land

g. Biomass accumulation potential departure    h. VHI minimum