Cotton: the weather data in Xinjiang by mid-Jun, 2024

As of mid-June, the majority of cotton-growing areas in Xinjiang have reached the squaring and flowering stages, with overall growth progressing faster than the same period last year. Prior to mid-May, the average temperatures in both northern and southern Xinjiang were significantly higher than last year. However, towards late May and the end of May, strong winds, heavy rains and hailstorms were observed in part regions of southern Xinjiang, while hailstorms and heavy rain persisted in parts of northern Xinjiang through mid to late June, slightly impacting the expected new cotton production. Continued attention to the weather conditions in the later period is needed. The following is Xinjiang's weather performance up to mid-June:

In terms of growth progress, in many areas, the overall planting progress was ahead of the same period last year, with Hami region showing relatively slower growth progress, and some non-monitored areas in southern Xinjiang lagging slightly behind compared to last year.

Looking at the average temperatures in northern and southern Xinjiang, from early April to mid-May, the average temperatures were noticeably higher than the same period last year, reaching relatively high levels compared to recent years. Signs of significant cooling were seen in late May in both northern and southern Xinjiang, with temperatures in northern Xinjiang recovering slightly in early and mid-June, albeit slightly lower than last year, while average temperatures in southern Xinjiang continued to decline in early June. Severe weather, including hailstorms, affected some parts of southern Xinjiang at the end of May and beginning of June, with temperatures in southern Xinjiang showing a slight increase in mid-June but still lower than the same period last year.

Regarding average precipitation, significant rainfall was observed in northern Xinjiang in late May, with lower rainfall levels in southern Xinjiang, although instances of hailstorms in early June were stronger in some parts of southern Xinjiang compared to northern parts. Hailstorms were also observed in parts of northern Xinjiang in mid to late June, requiring continued monitoring of the weather conditions.

Looking at the average sunshine hours, both northern and southern Xinjiang experienced a temporary decrease in sunshine hours in late May, with a slight increase in sunshine hours in early and mid-June. The difference of sunshine hours in northern Xinjiang compared to the same period of last year was limited, while in mid-June, southern Xinjiang had better sunshine hours compared to the same period in previous years.

Overall, by mid-June, most cotton-growing areas in Xinjiang have reached the squaring and flowering stages, with growth progress generally ahead of the same period last year. In late May and early Jun, temperature declined in Xinjiang, and hailstorms were seen in some parts of southern Xinjiang. In late Jun, high temperature was seen. The weather remains unstable. Keep an eye on whether the high temperature will persist in July.