Wet Weather Disrupts Fieldwork In China’s Yangtze River Basin
By Andrew Owen
Kansas City, November 8 (World Weather Inc.) – Portions of the Yangtze River Basin have been saturated with moisture since early in the last week of October. The wet conditions were a byproduct of frequent rain and the same pattern is prevailing now. Additional rain is expected in the region over the coming week and that will lead to more delay in getting this year’s rapeseed planted. The moisture may not be biding well for some of the region’s recently planted wheat either. Additional moisture in the coming week may raise the 
potential for some local flooding, although the biggest issue will be ongoing delays in getting winter rapeseed planted. Some late summer harvesting is also still lingering in parts of east-central China. In the meantime, waves of snow and some rain in northeastern China will keep late season farming activity to a minimum.
Areas from Sichuan, southern Shaanxi, and northern fringes of Guizhou and Hunan through southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang reported the greatest amount of rain during the past week. Moisture totals for the seven-day period ending this morning ranged from 0.50 to 2.00 inches with local amounts up to 2.80 inches in Sichuan and Hubei. Other areas from Yunnan through southern Zhejiang received a trace to 0.75 inch of rain with local amounts up to 1.75 inches. The North China Plain received a trace to 0.50 inch of rain. Pockets in southern Heilongjiang and eastern Jilin received up to 1.06 inch of moisture while light precipitation fell in the remaining production areas.
Soil moisture is adequate to excessive in much of the Yangtze River Basin due to the recent rainfall. Soil moisture elsewhere is mostly adequate or slightly short. Temperatures in Northeastern China were near to below average during the past week while temperatures elsewhere were near or 
above average. The cool weather in Northeastern China promoted periods of snow. Several areas still have snow on the ground in portions of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Inner Mongolia. The remaining production areas are snow-free. Snow usually delays harvesting activity.
Summer crop harvesting in the Yangtze River Basin normally concludes in October. However, periods of rain earlier in the harvest season slowed fieldwork progress. Late season harvest conditions have been poor as of late due to the continued precipitation. Drier weather is needed to firm up the ground and improve late season fieldwork. It is possible, although not very probable that some crop quality decline might have occurred in some of the late season oilseed crops.
Winter wheat and rapeseed planting would also benefit from drier weather in the coming weeks. Planting of rapeseed normally occurs in November and continues through December. Planting progress has been slow and will remain slow until the ground has a chance to firm.
Periodic rain will evolve across the Yangtze River Basin during the coming week. The frequent precipitation will continue to slow or delay fieldwork and keep the ground saturated in many production areas. Flooding will be possible in a few pockets and could cause some farmers to reseed recently plated winter wheat and rapeseed, although flooding is not likely to be a serious threat. Rain totals 
through next Tuesday morning will range from 0.75 to 3.00 inches with locally greater amounts. The frequent precipitation will potentially carry over into the November 16 – 22 time period and again delay fieldwork.
Two disturbances will advance across Northeastern China through the end of the weekend and promote scattered showers. Temperatures will be cold enough for precipitation to often fall as snow. New accumulations will range from 2 to 6 inches in Jilin, Heilongjiang, and neighboring areas in Inner Mongolia with local amounts over 6 inches in central and eastern Heilongjiang. Snowfall in Liaoning will only range from a dusting to 2 inches and may not remain on the ground for an extended period of time. Any farmers that have not yet finished fieldwork will not be able to get into the fields for a while because of the snowfall.
Rice and sugarcane maturation and harvesting will advance swiftly in the southernmost provinces during the next two weeks. Periods of rain will slow fieldwork in Yunnan and immediate neighboring areas, although most producers will have opportunities to get into the fields. Late season fieldwork will also advance swiftly in the North China Plain and Yellow River Basin due to dry weather during the next seven days.
World Weather, Inc. forecasts and comments pertaining to present, past and future weather conditions included in this report constitute the corporation’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. Comments regarding damage or the impact of weather on agricultural and energy as well as comments made regarding the impact of weather on the commodity and financial markets are the explicit opinions of World Weather, Inc. World Weather, Inc. can not be held responsible for decisions made by users of the Corporation’s information in any business, trade or investment decision.
©2016 World Weather, Inc. Any unauthorized redistribution, duplication or disclosure is prohibited by law and will result in prosecution.