Agrometeorology: summer crops would need a lot of rainfall

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According to the analysis, in the last five days, less than 5 millimeters of rain fell in the greater part of the country – i.e. practically there was hardly any precipitation -, 10-30 millimeters in the south, southwest and northeast, but in some places there were also downpours. The thirty-day rainfall amount is 20-60 millimeters less than usual at this time. The upper half-meter soil layer is critically dry in most of the country, the plants only find moisture in the deeper layer, but even there it is getting less and less. The situation is worst in Mezőföld, in the western, southern and eastern regions of the Great Plain. Signs of a moderate or severe drought can be observed in more than two-thirds of Hungary’s territory, they added.

Temperature maxima were still above 30 degrees Celsius

Planted plants develop two to three weeks earlier than usual. Sunflowers and corn have blossomed or are at the end of flowering, they would require the most moisture now, 100 millimeters of rain per month would be ideal, but without irrigation they only get this in a few spots in the country affected by heavy downpours. The development phase of the beginning of flowering and grain formation was characterized by heat and drought in most of the country, these periods were shortened, and this will also be reflected in the yield averages, they wrote. According to the forecast, there is likely to be dry weather in the future, and significant regional average rainfall is unlikely until the middle of next week, so the soil will continue to dry and the drought will intensify even further. The temperature will rise again by the end of the week, a heat wave is expected with maximums of around 35 degrees Celsius, then a cold front will arrive on Monday, which will reduce the maximums by about 5 degrees next week.

MTI