Poland enjoyed favorable conditions during this monitoring period, as indicated in part by a maximum VCI value (0.87). The country this period witnessed the harvest of maize (before October) and the sowing of winter wheat. The cropped arable land fraction was 4%above the five-year average. Weather during October to January was wetter and warmer than average, with rainfall up 8% and temperature up 1.6°C. Radiation was5% below average, and the potential biomass increased 13% due to the abundant precipitation and mild weather. As shown by the spatial NDVI patterns, NDVI was above average in October and close to average in the next three months in most parts of Poland except the Northeast, including Poznan, Warsaw, and Cracow. Due to the warm condition in winter, Poland’s winter crop was probably only slightly hardened but freezing risk was low.

Figure3.25. Poland crop condition, October2014-January 2015