MARS: Wetness and cold in Europe with partial damage to winter crops The EU Commission's Agricultural Meteorological Institute (MARS) has identified an abrupt drop in temperature for large parts of Europe at the turn of the month November/December 2023. Due to the previous weather conditions, the winter seeds were sown relatively late and had not yet been able to develop any frost hardiness. With temperatures below -20 degrees in some areas, limited damage is expected in Finland and the Baltic states because only a sufficiently high snow cover provided protection in some areas. In northern Germany, northern Poland, Denmark and southern Sweden, regionally increased impacts are expected due to the sudden drop in temperature with a predominantly lack of snow protection. In southeast Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, southern Poland and Slovakia, the winter crops were sufficiently protected by a 20 cm thick layer of snow.In northern France, Benelux countries and western Germany, high rainfall with intermittent snowfalls hindered/prevented further sowing. In France, around 10% of wheat areas remain uncultivated. In contrast, the high rainfall in the further southern and eastern EU countries has little to no negative influence on the seeds. For Romania and Bulgaria, the large amounts of rain were even beneficial because water was urgently needed for the seeds after the previous dry period. There is still a lack of rain on the eastern and southern coasts of Spain and in the Magreb states. There is drought in Sicily.
