The winter months brought near to below normal amounts of precipitation to most of Western Canada, but with pockets of variability.
As shown on the map below, central and northern Alberta generally received near to slightly above normal precipitation during the Nov. 1 – March 1 period, while parts of central Saskatchewan also saw close-to-average moisture levels.
In contrast, drier conditions were focused across the southern Prairies, particularly southern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, where precipitation was below normal, in places falling below 60% of average and locally even lower. Southern Alberta also shows sizeable areas of below-average precipitation, though conditions improve moving northward. The Peace River region was drier farther west.
As spring draws nearer, some Prairie areas remain stubbornly dry, particularly parts of the Peace River region and the southwestern Prairies, which continue to wrestle with long-term moisture deficits.
A spring flood outlook from Manitoba last week said overall basin conditions in that province point to low to moderate spring runoff potential. Soil moisture levels at freeze-up were near normal to below normal across most regions, with winter precipitation trending “near or below seasonal averages,” the outlook said.
The latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor showed 62% of Prairie agricultural lands were being impacted by abnormal dryness or drought as of the end of January. That was unchanged from December and down from 71% at the end of November.
The February update should be released in the coming days.
