Ice crust contributes in uncertainty of 2010 grain havest outlook – 11.03.2010

Following the excessively cold January, when the average monthly air temperature was 2-50 below its normal values, February’s weather was unusually warm. The average temperature during that month exceeded the norm by 1.0-2.50.

 

The alteration between warmth and cold-snaps led to freezing of melt water on the soil surface and the appearance of ice crust in crops. The crust covered 660 Th ha of winter crops in late February. Ice crusts cover most of Kharkiv region (57% of the crop acreage), Poltava (50%), Cherkasy (12%), Ivano-Frankivsk (30%), and Sumy (11%). The average ice crust is 9-20 mm thick, locally 30-75 mm, and covers 10 to 90% of the field area. Daylight warming leads to partial crust melt but during below-zero nighttime temperatures allow reformation of the crust.

 

In some districts of Kharkiv, Poltava, Luhansk, Sumy regions, the ice crust has been in place for over 40-50 days. This may result in heavy damage to part of winter crops and even complete loss. In 2003, ice crust killed over 5.5 Ml ha of winter crops (65%) in Ukraine. This year’s extent of the ice crust is far smaller (7-8%), but loss of winter crops is very probable in regions where this crust appeared.