Soil moisture reserves remain extremely variable across the province, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry said in its latest update.

These range “from one in 12- to 25-year lows through small areas in the central and northeast regions, to one in 50-year highs through the Fox Creek/Edson area and also around Hawk Hills in the northern Peace Region,” the May 4 update states.

Moisture reserves in most of southern Alberta are rated as near normal or moderately low, while a triangular area from Medicine Hat to Lloydminster to Red Deer generally rates moderately low to low (with an area of very low moisture centred over Paintearth County). The area around Edmonton has moderately high to very high moisture levels.