Agrometeorological review for the second decade of February 2024.

European part

In the Northwestern, Central, and Volga Federal Districts, the weather was unstable. The maximum air temperature for the decade rose to -3…-1° (in central and northeastern areas of the Volga and eastern areas of the Northwest Federal Districts to -8…-5°). In the western, southwest, and southern areas of the territory, thaw occurred on February 12-13 and 17-18 (during the day up to 1…7°). The minimum air temperature in the northeastern half of the territory (east of the Petrozavodsk – Saransk line) dropped to -30…-27°, in the northeast and some eastern areas to -40…-35°. In the southwest part of the territory, the lowest temperatures at night were -22…-15°, in the south of the Central Federal District -10…-8°. The average air temperature for the decade was 2–7° below normal in most areas, while in the southwest of the Northwest, west, and south of the Central Federal Districts it was 2–4° above normal.

The amount of precipitation for the decade was 15–25 mm, in some areas of the Leningrad, Kaluga, Tula, Orel, and Kursk regions 30–35 mm. In most areas of the eastern half of the territory, precipitation was low (5–10 mm). The snow cover height in the fields increased by 5–15 cm for the decade, ranging from 50 to 70 cm, in central, northern, and northeastern areas of the Volga Federal District up to 80–90 cm or more. In the northern part of the Volga and Central Federal Districts, conditions for crop damage due to heaving were preserved on some fields (with significant snow cover height and shallow soil freezing depth resulting in soil temperature near 0° at a depth of 3 cm). In the extreme western and southern areas of the territory, due to thawing weather, the snow cover melted and consolidated, with its height varying from 5 to 20 cm.

The soil freezing depth remained practically unchanged, ranging from 10 to 35 cm, while in the Saratov, Orenburg regions, and in the south of the Republic of Bashkortostan it reached 80–110 cm in some places. The minimum soil temperature at the node depth of winter crops (3 cm) was -7…-1°, on some fields in the east and southeast of the Saratov region it temporarily dropped to -14…-12°, which could be dangerous for poorly developed winter wheat crops. Agrometeorological conditions for the wintering of winter crops in the predominant territory were satisfactory, with plant hardiness decreasing in the southern regions due to thawing weather.

In the Southern and North Caucasus Federal Districts, the first half of the decade saw abnormally warm weather. The average daily air temperature in these days was 10–18° above normal. The maximum air temperature in the northern part of the territory rose to 7…12°, in the southern part to 15…21°. In the second half of the decade, it cooled down, with the minimum temperature dropping to -8…-1°, in the northeast part of the Southern Federal District to -15…-10°. The average air temperature for the decade was 2–6° above normal.

There was little precipitation (1–8 mm), with only some northern areas of the Volgograd, Astrakhan regions and in parts of the North Caucasus Republics receiving 12–20 mm. By the end of the decade, a snow cover was observed in the northern part of the territory (north of Rostov-on-Don latitude) and in the North Caucasus Republics, with a height ranging from 2–5 cm (in the Volgograd region in places 8–13 cm).

Low air and soil temperatures, which are dangerous for wintering winter grain crops, were not observed. Plant wintering conditions were predominantly satisfactory. In the southern regions, winter wheat crops were able to grow at the beginning of the decade, but vegetation ceased in the middle of the decade when the average daily temperature dropped below 8°.

Asian part

In the agricultural areas of the Ural Federal District and Western Siberia, significantly colder weather prevailed compared to usual. The second half of the decade was the coldest, with the average daily air temperature being 6–11°, and on some days reaching 12–14° below normal. The minimum air temperature almost everywhere dropped to -40…-35°, and in some southeastern and western areas of the Ural Federal District to -30…-27°. Only on some days in the first half of the decade was the average daily temperature close to normal or 3–6° higher. The average air temperature for the decade was 4–8° below normal.

There was little precipitation (1–8 mm), with the Tomsk region, some areas of the Sverdlovsk, Kemerovo regions, and the Altai Territory receiving 10–24 mm for the decade. Winter grain crops were under a snow cover, with heights ranging from 45–70 cm, and in some southern areas 25–30 cm. Conditions for the wintering of winter crops were mostly satisfactory, and low air and soil temperatures, dangerous for wintering crops, were practically not observed anywhere.

Only in some areas in the north and southeast of the Altai Territory, where the snow cover height was less than 10 cm, the minimum soil temperature at the node depth of winter crops (3 cm) dropped to -20…-18°, and possible damage to winter crops in varying degrees was possible. Additionally, in these areas, there was an ice crust thickness of about 15 mm, which is also unfavorable for the wintering of winter crops. In some southwestern areas of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, due to severe frosts (the minimum air temperature dropped to -43…-40°) with a small snow cover (less than 5 cm), conditions were created