Abnormal dryness and drought increased further across Ontario and Quebec in October.
Although dry weather in many areas allowed rapid harvest progress, the latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor shows 70% of the agricultural lands in the central region – which includes both Ontario and Quebec – were being impacted by abnormal dryness or drought as of the end of October. That is up from 58% at the end of September and 33% in August.
Precipitation patterns were mixed in October, the monitor said, with northwestern Ontario recording areas of both above and below normal precipitation, while southern Ontario and Quebec generally received below normal precipitation.
Across southern Ontario, the driest areas extended from Georgian Bay to the Quebec border (see map below), leading to the emergence and expansion of moderate and severe drought conditions, including in areas near North Bay and Sudbury.
In Quebec, below-normal precipitation continued across southeastern regions and the Gaspé Peninsula, resulting in the development of severe drought. Multiple months of significant precipitation deficits combined with above-normal temperatures also maintained drought conditions around Montreal, where a small area intensified to extreme drought.
The Ontario soybean harvest was basically wrapped up as of the end of October, while the corn harvest was over half complete as of Nov. 4.
