Warm weather and fast snow melt: a review of spring conditions in different regions of Russia.

According to information from the Roshydromet Center: European part: In the North-Western, Central, and most districts of the Volga Federal Districts, warm and dry weather prevailed. The daytime temperature rose to 3-5°C, and on warm days, up to 7-10°C, and in the Pskov and Novgorod regions, up to 12-13°C. In most days, it was cold in the south and southeast of the Volga Federal District, only becoming warmer towards the end of the decade, with the maximum air temperature reaching 2-5°C. 

The coldest nights led to a temperature drop to -15--8°C (locally to -17°C) in the west and to -25--18°C in the east. The average temperature for the decade was 2-5°C above normal, except for some areas in the Central District and the Volga Federal District, where it was close to normal or 2-3°C below normal. Precipitation was almost nowhere to be seen, or its amount was 1-5 mm. Exceptions were the western and northern areas of the North-Western Federal District, where precipitation ranged from 10 to 25 mm (37 mm in the Leningrad region). Due to the warm and sunny weather, the snow cover melted and evaporated quickly. 

Although the snow melted in the far western areas of the North-Western and southern areas of the Central Federal Districts, elsewhere its height ranged from 25 to 50 cm (60-75 cm in some areas of the Volga Federal District), exceeding last year's figures for this date by 10-20 cm. The soil freezing depth remained almost unchanged, ranging from 5 to 25 cm in most areas, with a maximum of 40 to 50 cm in the east. In some western and northern areas, the soil remained thawed. The minimum soil temperature at the depth of the nodal tillering of winter cereals (3 cm) ranged from -3 to 0°C, and in the southern areas of the Saratov and Orenburg regions, from -6 to -5°C.

 The conditions for wintering winter crops were mostly satisfactory, although in the northern half of the Volga and Central Districts, some fields had conditions conducive to crop damage due to soil heaving. Winter crops continued to expend a large amount of nutrients on respiration. Southern and North Caucasus parts: The weather in these regions was unstable. On the warmest days, the air temperature rose to 12-18°C, and in the northeastern regions up to 5-8°C. At the beginning of the decade, the coldest nights led to a temperature drop to -7--1°C, and in the northern areas, to -10--8°C. 

The average temperature for the decade was close to normal, ranging from 1-5°C (on the northeast territory -1-0°C). In the Krasnodar region and the Republic of Crimea, it exceeded the norm by 2-3°C (6-8°C). In some areas of the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions, the Republics of Kalmykia and Crimea, and the Republics of the North Caucasus, precipitation ranged from 10 to 25 mm. In the rest of the region, precipitation was insignificant (1-5 mm). In the middle of the decade, most fields had no snow cover. 

The warm weather stimulated rapid thawing and warming of the soil. In the south, the vegetative process of winter crops began, and in some fields, the planting of spring crops and forage crops began. In the northern areas, winter crops grew under warm weather during the day. Early spring plant fertilization was carried out in areas with strong northern winds. In the gardens of the Republic of Crimea, the Krasnodar region, and the Republics of the North Caucasus, the buds of fruit crops began to swell and bloom. 

Asian part: In the early second decade of March, cold weather slightly below normal prevailed in most agricultural regions of the Ural Federal District and Western Siberia. The average air temperature was 2-5°C below normal, and the minimum temperature dropped to -22--15°C. From March 15-17, the temperature increased in most regions by 4-6°C above normal. 

By the end of the decade, the maximum air temperature reached 3-8°C. The average air temperature in most regions was close to normal, but in some areas, it was higher (by 2-3°C) or lower (by 2-3°C). Snow cover covered winter crops, with heights ranging from 30 to 55 cm, and in some places, reaching 70 to 80 cm. However, in the Altai region, its height was 10-20 cm. The minimum soil temperature at the depth of the nodal tillering of winter cereals (3 cm) ranged from -5 to -1°C, and lower (from -8 to -7°C) in the Altai region. 

Conditions for completing wintering of winter cereals were satisfactory, and no unfavorable temperatures for wintering plants were observed. Forecast of agrometeorological conditions for the third decade of March 2024: European part: Mainly satisfactory conditions for completing the wintering of winter cereals are expected in most of the European part of Russia. 

Southern and North Caucasus Federal Districts are expected to have good conditions for the vegetative growth of winter crops and spring field work, except for the Republics of the North Caucasus, where rain is expected, complicating planting. Asian part: Most agricultural regions of the Ural Federal District and Western Siberia are expected to have predominantly satisfactory conditions for completing the wintering of winter cereals.