According to Roshydrometcenter
European part
In most areas of the Northwestern , Central and Volga Federal Districts, unstable weather was observed in October with rains of varying intensity. On the warmest days at the beginning of the month and in the middle of the second decade, the average daily air temperature was 3–7º above normal. The maximum air temperature for the month increased to 15…20°, in the south-eastern regions of the Central, as well as in most areas of the Volga Federal District, to 22…25°. At the end of the second ten-day period and most days of the third ten-day period it was cold, the average daily air temperature was 2–4° below normal. During this period, precipitation fell mainly in the form of sleet and snow. The amount of precipitation per month ranged mainly from 65 to 100 mm, in the western, central, southwestern and individual southeastern regions of the territory in some places up to 120–140 mm or more.
In October, the harvesting of late grain crops, potatoes, rapeseed, soybeans and flax almost everywhere ended; the harvesting of sugar beets and sunflowers continued. Agrometeorological conditions for field work in the southern regions of the territory were good and satisfactory; within 7–12 days they worsened due to rains and waterlogging of the top layer of soil. In most areas of the Non-Chernozem Zone, conditions for harvesting for 15–22 days were extremely unfavorable due to rain, with snow in places in the second half of the month. Cleaning work was suspended. In the southern regions in the third decade, conditions for cleaning were unfavorable and work was carried out only on certain days.
Winter grain crops in the southern half of the territory grew throughout the month. Agrometeorological conditions for the growth and development of winter grain crops in the first half of the month in the prevailing territory were good and satisfactory. The moisture supply to plants was good almost everywhere; only in some fields in the Volga Federal District did soil moisture deficit persist. In most areas of the northern half of the territory, at the end of the second decade, due to lack of heat, the growing season of winter crops was possible only during the daytime; temporary snow cover formed in some fields in the northern regions. As the average daily air temperature dropped below 5° on October 18–20, the growing season of winter crops in these areas ceased. In most fields, winter crops were in the tillering phase by the time the growing season ceased; their condition in the predominant territory was good, in some areas of the Volga Federal District it was satisfactory. At the end of the month, snow cover with a height of 1 to 8 cm was observed north of the Tver – Ufa line.
In the Southern and North Caucasus federal districts , warm weather prevailed; only during the periods of October 8–13 and 17–19 was colder weather observed than usual. The monthly average air temperature turned out to be close to normal, in the southern half of the territory 2° above normal. Daytime air temperature increased mainly to 17…22°, on some days, mainly at the beginning of the third decade, to 24…26º, in the southern half of the territory to 27…29° (in the Republic of Crimea up to 30…32° ). The minimum air temperature dropped to 3…10°; on some days of the second decade, frosts were observed almost everywhere (up to -5…-1°), which could be dangerous for unharvested vegetables and late heat-loving crops. The amount of precipitation for the month was mainly 30–50 mm, in the Rostov, Volgograd regions and Krasnodar Territory in some places 70–80 mm. In most regions of the Republic of Crimea, eastern regions of the Stavropol Territory, southern regions of the Republic of Kalmykia and in some places in the Republics of the North Caucasus, 10–20 mm of precipitation fell over the month; soil drought is observed in these areas.
In most of the territory, harvesting of late grain crops, sunflowers, sugar beets, and vegetable crops continued in October. Agrometeorological conditions for harvesting work were favorable on most days. Rains complicated cleaning for 3–7 days of the month, and in the northern regions 8–12 days.
In the northern half of the territory, the sowing of winter grain crops for the 2024 harvest was completed, in the southern half it is still ongoing. In some areas, winter crops were sown in dry soil, and the conditions for the emergence of winter crops were unfavorable; in some places, the sprouted crops were sparse due to a lack of moisture in the soil. Agrometeorological conditions for the emergence, growth and development of winter grain crops were satisfactory; in some fields where soil moisture deficit persists, they were unfavorable. Depending on the timing of sowing, winter crops were in the phases of grain germination and seedlings; in some places, leaf formation was observed, and in the fields of early sowing dates, tillering was observed. The condition of winter crops is good and satisfactory. In the first two decades of the month, soil moisture was generally reduced, but sufficient for the emergence of seedlings and the initial development of plants; in the third decade in the northern and western regions of the territory, rains well replenished moisture reserves in the soil.
Asian part
In the agricultural regions of the Ural Federal District and Western Siberia, warmer than usual weather prevailed in October. The monthly average air temperature almost everywhere was 2–4° above normal. In the Ural Federal District, the growing season of winter grain crops lasted until October 19–20, and in Western Siberia until October 24–26. Then the weather in these areas got colder and the growing season of winter crops stopped 10–15 days later than usual. Agrometeorological conditions for the growth and development of winter crops were good and satisfactory. The moisture supply of plants was sufficient almost everywhere. By the time the growing season ends, winter crops have mostly reached the tillering phase. The condition of the plants was good and satisfactory.
Agrometeorological conditions for completing crop harvesting were good. They were somewhat complicated due to rains and waterlogging of the top layer of soil for 7–12 days of the month, and when the weather cooled in the third ten days of October, precipitation (15–35 mm per ten day, in some areas up to 40–45 mm or more) fell in the form rain and snow. At the end of the month, snow cover of 1 to 5 cm or more was observed almost everywhere in the fields. Cleaning work has practically stopped. The drop in air temperature in the third ten days of the month to -14…-9° was not dangerous for winter grain crops.
In the agricultural regions of Eastern Siberia and the Far Eastern Federal District, warmer than usual weather also prevailed in October. In the southern regions of the territory, precipitation was insignificant (from 10 to 20 mm per month), in the northern regions of Eastern Siberia and in the northeast of the Far Eastern Federal District, from 30 to 50 mm of precipitation or more fell per month. Precipitation in these areas fell in the form of rain and snow; in the second ten days of the month, temporary snow cover with a height of 2 to 5 cm or more formed in some fields. At the beginning of the month, intense frosts were observed in the air (up to -11…-9°), and in the second half of the month the minimum temperature almost everywhere dropped to -15…-10°, in a number of areas of the Irkutsk region, the Republic of Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory to -24 …-19°. Due to frequent intense frosts, as well as precipitation in the form of rain and snow, harvesting work was carried out selectively, and work was suspended on certain days. At the end of the month, snow cover with a height of 1 to 5 cm, in some places more than 10 cm, was observed almost everywhere in the fields, and harvesting work was practically not carried out. In the south of Khabarovsk and in most areas of the Primorsky Territory there was practically no snow cover during the month, frosts were also less intense (-5…-2°) only at the end of the month on some days the minimum air temperature dropped to -12…-7°. Harvesting operations in these areas were carried out on most days of the month under generally satisfactory conditions.
Forecast of agrometeorological conditions for November 2023
European part
In most areas of the European part of Russia, agrometeorological conditions for the start of wintering of winter grain crops will be mostly satisfactory; at the beginning of the month in the southern half of the Central and Volga Federal Districts, winter crop vegetation will be possible during the daytime. In the south of the territory, sowing of winter grain crops will continue in the first half of the month; conditions for completing the harvesting of late crops and the growing season of winter crops will be mostly satisfactory.
Asian part
In most agricultural regions of the Ural Federal District and Western Siberia, agrometeorological conditions for the start of wintering of winter grain crops will be mostly satisfactory.