Reading Time: 2 minutes A whole bunch of snow. Really wet. Really dry. Wet again. Snow in September. And finally a respite. It wasn’t Mother Nature at her worst, but she kept everyone on their toes right from the get-go. Bonnyville farmer Taylor Snyder was helping a neighbour unload canola on Jan. 15 when the winds began to howl, […] Read more
Mother Nature had us guessing ‘what next’ all year long
Five to Remember: There were hurricane-force winds in January, snow in September, and an unexpected bonus come October
U.S. weather forecaster slightly reduces El Nino outlook
New York / Reuters – The U.S. weather forecaster on Thursday projected a 58 percent chance of El Nino developing during the Northern Hemisphere winter, reducing its outlook for the likelihood of the weather phenomenon in its monthly report.The Climate Prediction Center, an agency of the National Weather Service, said the most recent atmosphere and ocean […] Read more
Rain, rain, come again
A series of late-July storms brought some relief to some parts of the province, but a lack of moisture is the big issue on many farms
Reading Time: 4 minutes Hot, sunny weather around the province through much of July made for ideal BBQ and beach weather — but bordered on too much of a good thing for some Alberta crops. With the exception of the fairly wet Lake Country, farmers around almost the entire province hoped for rain when the low-pressure system blew through […] Read more
Drenched again: South inundated, but it could have been worse
The damage to infrastructure will take time to repair, and the effects on many farms and ranches will be long lasting
Reading Time: 5 minutes The night Willow Creek flooded was a sleepless one for Cecilie Fleming and husband Duncan. Every hour, the couple slogged through the rain and the mud in their yard just east of the creek and used an electric fence post to measure the rise of the rapidly swelling torrent of water. Two feet became four […] Read more
Root rot risk on the rise
Root rot symptoms are often confused with other crop problems, so early detection and accurate diagnosis is critical
Reading Time: 3 minutes Early-season root rots could be on the rise in areas of the province that had a cool, wet start to seeding. “In the past few years, we’ve seen a lot of root disease issues, and I would say they’re primarily driven by environment,” said Michael Harding, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “These […] Read more
Increased disease pressure, weed competition a possibility for crops this summer
The cool, wet spring could mean increased disease pressure and weed competition later in the growing season
Reading Time: 2 minutes The cool, damp weather of early spring delayed seeding across Alberta, but “it’s still early,” says a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Last year, more than half the (canola) acres were seeded after May 20,” said Neil Whatley. “We’ve got lots of time until freeze-up in the fall. There’s no use panicking […] Read more
Models cause for less hail, but less rain, too
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta has the dubious distinction of having the most — and biggest — hail in the world. “We’re very famous for that,” said University of Alberta meteorologist Gerhard Reuter. And you can blame it on the Rocky Mountains, which affect airflows to create ‘hail alley’ — a corridor stretching from Rocky Mountain House to Red […] Read more
Get ready for a lot more major floods, says Alberta meteorologist
U of A professor says the weather event that caused last year’s devastating floods will occur every five years in future
Reading Time: 2 minutes Albertans can expect major floods as often as every five years thanks to climate change, according to Gerhard Reuter, a meteorologist and professor at the University of Alberta. The last three big Alberta floods were in 2013, 2005, and 1996, and followed in the wake of “giant rainstorms,” which Reuter classifies as rain events of […] Read more
Alberta’s roller-coaster weather in December
After a cold and snowy start, what does the rest of the winter hold?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Most of you probably know that I don’t live in Alberta, so when I have to talk about Alberta’s weather I depend on the network of weather station data, my knowledge of typical Alberta weather and feedback from you the reader. I have to admit, it can be tough to discuss the weather when you […] Read more
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