After well below normal precipitation in October, large portions of Western Canada saw significant relief in November.
As can be seen from the map below, parts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta all received amounts totalling more than 200% of normal during the month. The only real exceptions were north of Edmonton and parts of the Peace River region where conditions were drier than normal.
Areas of eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba were hit hard by the season’s first big winter storm early last week, with some of the heaviest accumulations along the provincial border at around 40 cm. A potent snowstorm also brought notable accumulations across the Prairies this past weekend, including record amounts for Calgary. Meanwhile, areas of northwestern Alberta are under snowfall warnings this weekend.
The wetter November follows on the heels of dry October, that saw areas from Winnipeg all the way to Calgary receive less than 40% of normal.
The latest monthly Canadian drought monitor showed 57% of Prairie agricultural lands impacted by abnormal dryness or some form of drought as of the end of October, up from 42% at the end of September, although still below 63% in August. Most of the deterioration during the month occurred in the southern Prairies, with short-term drought developing throughout southwestern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, and much of Manitoba.
The drought monitor will be updated for November early next month.
