Comment from Agrometeorologist

Communication report regarding the incidences of drought conditions in Poland

The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute, in accordance with the Act of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has developed the climatic water balance values for all 2477 Polish municipalities (gminas) and, based on soil categories, calculated the current risk of agricultural drought.

In the thirteenth reporting period, i.e. from July 21st to September 20th, 2021, the average value of Climatic Water Balance (CWB), which is the basis for assessing the risk of agricultural drought, was positive and equalled 25 mm. The average CWB value has increased by 15 mm in relation to the previous reporting period (July 11th – September 10th). Evapotranspiration has decreased by 26 mm.

The highest water deficit, ranging from -120 to -149 mm, was recorded in the southern part of the South Pomeranian Lake District, in the western part of the West Pomeranian Lake District, and in the northern part of the Greater Poland Lake District. In the rest of the country, water deficit was lower: from 0 to -119 mm, or at places even excess of water occurred.

Based on the current humidity conditions, IUNG-PIB states the occurrence of agricultural drought in the area of Poland. Drought was recorded in rape and turnip rape, in two municipalities in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship.

July was warmer than the multiannual average temperature by 1-3°C. The highest temperatures were recorded in the east (above 21°C) and exceeded the multiannual norm by 2 to more than 3°C. Slightly lower temperatures occurred in the west of Poland, from 19 to 20°C and exceeded the norm by 1 to 2°C.

In August, the highest temperatures (above 17°C) were recorded in the west and south of Poland. In the rest of the country temperatures ranged from 14 to 17°C. This year, August was colder than the multiannual norm by 1-2°C.

In the first decade of September, the highest temperature (above 16°C) was recorded in the western part of the Szczecin Coastland, of the West Pomeranian and the South Pomeranian Lake Districts, in the Lubusz Lake District, the Zielona Góra Hills, in the western part of the Trzebnica Hills, in the Silesia-Łużyce Lowland and in the western part of the Silesian Lowland. In the rest of the country, temperatures ranged from 10°C to 16°C.

In the second decade of the month, the lowest temperature (below 10°C) was recorded in the Lithuanian Lake District, the Volhynian Upland, in the north-eastern part of the Masurian Lake District and the North Podlasie Lowland. Slightly lower temperatures, from 11 to 13°C, were recorded in the rest of the Masurian Lake District and the North Podlasie Lowland, in the Masovian Lowland, the South Podlasie Lowland, in Roztocze, Lublin Polesie, the Sandomierz Basin, in the Uplands: Lublin, Kielce, and Przedbórz, and in the Southern Masovia Hills. In the rest of the country, temperature exceeded 13°C.

In July, precipitation varied significantly across the country. The highest values were recorded in the south and north-east of Poland, ranging from 140 to180 mm. Intense rainfalls occurred also in the east of the country, reaching 110-140 mm, whilst in the west of Poland precipitation was less abundant, from 50 to110 mm. Precipitation in July constituted 130-160% of the norm in the north-east of Poland, 110-130% in the east, and 60-100% in the west of the country.

In August, the highest precipitation values were recorded in the east and south-east of Poland, ranging from 120 to more than 200 mm (from 200 to more than 300% of the norm). In the north-west of the country, precipitation was less intense, ranging from 90 to 120 mm, i.e. 100-120% of the multiannual norm.

In the first decade of September, in the vast majority of the country precipitation did not exceed 5 mm. Only in the Beskids, the Tatras and in the eastern part of the Central Beskidian Piedmont precipitation ranged from 5 to 40 mm.

In the second decade of the month, the lowest precipitation values (below 15 mm) were recorded in the South Greater Poland Lowland, in the Greater Poland Lake District and the Lubusz Lake District, in the north-western part of the Silesian Lowland, the western part of the West Pomeranian and South Pomeranian Lake Districts, in the Trzebnica Hills and the Silesia-Łużyce Lowland. The highest precipitation, above 75 mm, was recorded locally in the Sandomierz Basin and in the Western Beskids. In the rest of the country precipitation ranged from 15 to 75 mm.

We would like to inform that on the website of the agricultural drought monitoring system at: www.susza.iung.pulawy.pl there is a page presenting information on this year’s maximum coverage of the agricultural drought:

Drought risk maps \ Select crop \ Select period – in the case of period, the “Maximum range” option should be selected in order to obtain the following information on drought occurrence:

  • number of affected municipalities,
  • share of affected municipalities,
  • share of the acreage affected by drought

We would like to emphasize that the maximum range is the most reliable for indication of drought occurrence at the country, voivodeship, municipality and cadastral parcels’ levels.

Executive Director

Prof. dr hab. Wiesław Oleszek

Report prepared by: Dr hab. Andrzej Doroszewski, prof. IUNG-PIB, Dr hab. Rafał Pudełko, Dr Katarzyna Żyłowska, Dr Jan Jadczyszyn, Mgr Piotr Koza, Mgr Anna Jędrejek, Mgr Małgorzata Kozak, Adrian Matczuk

Contact
Institute of Soil Science and Plants Cultivation
State Research Institute
ul. Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy

Zakład Agrometeorologii i Zastosowań Informatyki
phone: 81 4786 879, 81 4786 752

Zakład Gleboznawstwa Erozji i Ochrony Gruntów
phone: 81 4786 779

W przypadku pytań dotyczących suszy proponujemy kontakt poprzez formularz zapytania, który należy wysłać mailem na adres susza@iung.pulawy.pl

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Opracowanie IUNG-PIB 2020 na zlecenie Misterstwa Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi