Reading Time: 3 minutes Smoke from forest fires across the Prairies has generated questions about how smoke might affect weather. So, let’s take a break from our Meteorology 101 class and use this teachable moment. The effect of smoke on weather is not straightforward. Smoke can alter several variables and the outcome depends on the state of the atmosphere, […] Read more
Smoke and how it can impact the weather we experience
Smoke can inhibit convection, the main force behind cloud and rain development
Prairie Forecast Update: Forecast pretty much on track
Update issued June 4, covering June 4-7, 2023
The heat and humidity moved into a large portion of the Canadian Prairies late last week and over the weekend as the previous general forecast played out pretty close to what the weather models predicted. There is not much change in the forecast for the next three days. The heat and humidity will continue across […] Read more
NEW FEATURE: Prairie Forecast: Summer has definitely moved in
Forecast issued May 31, 2023, covering May 31 to June 7, 2023
As we move into the official start of meteorological summer, it is looking like we have left spring behind and summer is here to stay. While this is great for those of us who like heat, humidity and thunderstorms, it can make it difficult to create an accurate forecast. The large areas of low pressure […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: A few small tweaks
Forecast issued May 28, covering the period from May 29 to 31
The weather regime across southern and central Canada is currently being dominated by a large sprawling surface high over eastern regions with a slowly digging trough of low pressure over the West Coast. The flows around these two features have been producing warm summer-like conditions across the eastern Prairies with slightly cooler conditions as you […] Read more
NEW FEATURE: Prairie Forecast: Summerlike conditions moving in
Forecast issued May 24, 2023, covering May 24-31, 2023
As we head into the final week of May, it is looking to be very summerlike across much of the Prairies. Currently there is a strong area of cool high pressure centred over the Great Lakes. This area of high pressure is what brought cool and windy conditions to the eastern Prairies on Wednesday. As […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: A few small tweaks
Update issued May 21, 2023, covering May 21-24, 2023
The weather models are continuing to do a good job with the short- to medium-range forecasts, but there have been a couple of small changes that have been slowly working into the forecast. Weak troughing off the West Coast is still forecasted to kick off the development of a leeside low in Alberta. This low […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Above-average temperatures to continue
Covering the period from May 17 to 24, 2023
The upper ridge that has been in place over much of B.C. and Alberta over the last few weeks looks to remain in place, at least for a few more days. There are some indications of a shift in the overall weather pattern towards a warm and wetter setup. As predicted, an area of low […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Forecast on track
Forecast issued May 14, 2023, covering the half-week stretch from May 14 to 17, 2023
The weather models have been remarkably accurate for this time of the year. The big weather picture remains the same. There is a large, persistent ridge of high pressure over far Western Canada with an equally persistent trough of low pressure over Eastern Canada. This means western regions will continue to see sunny, dry and […] Read more
It was a cold start — will the rest of this winter be the same?
As usual, the forecasts are varied but none predict a warmer-than-usual winter this year
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s hard to believe we are into the last month of 2022. From a climatological point of view, we have finished the first full month of winter across the Prairies. For those who are more astronomical, we are halfway through the first full month of winter. No matter which way you view it, November across the […] Read more
Red sky at night? Maybe. But snow from fog in August?
Our weather columnist analyzes some common sayings, and would like to hear some more
Reading Time: 4 minutes This summer I have crisscrossed this great country of ours. I started in early July heading east into the Muskoka region of Ontario to compete in an Ironman 70.3 triathlon. After spending a couple of weeks there, I returned home and did some quick gardening before heading west to Canmore for a wedding. What a […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
