In general, crop condition in the United States over the CropWatch monitoring period is above below average. This monitoring period covered the harvesting season of 2014 summer crops and the planting season for 2015 winter crops. The agroclimatic indicators include a positive departure (17%) ofrainfall (compared to average), average temperature (-0.4°C), and a 4% decrease in radiation. During this monitoring season, summer crops were completely harvested and winter crops were planted and stepped into wintering period. The main zone for winter crops, the south of the Great Plains, enjoyed abundant rainfall, including in Kansas (+62%), Oklahoma (+49%), northern Texas (+20%),and Arkansas (+42%). This replenished soil water for the growth of winter crops in the next monitoring period. In other regions, abundant rain also fell over Idaho (+49%), Iowa (+45%), Missouri (+53%), Montana (+152%), Nebraska (+71%),North Dakota (+95%), and South Dakota (+139%), which will benefit the planting of summer crops (Spring wheat, maize, and soybeans) in 2015. At the same time,the cluster of NDVI profiles indicates more than 62.6% of arable land shows slightly above average crops, these region is conherent with the main winter crop zones, as also indicated by the maximum VCI (0.82) and the increased accumulation of biomass (14%) compared to the recent five-year average. The cropped arable land fraction showed a positive departure of 3%. Altogether,prospects are favorable.

Figure3.31. United States crop condition, October2014-January 2015

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

(c)Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                                            (d)NDVI profiles