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Prairie forecast: Is winter making one last push?

Issued March 20, covering March 20-27, 2024

A sprawling Arctic high pressure system is poised to dominate the region, ushering in colder-than-normal temperatures reminiscent of January's grip, but not as cold. While cold snaps this time of year often bring snow, the prevailing high pressure suggests storm activity will largely skirt the area, save for southern and southwestern Alberta where significant snowfall is anticipated.


Pasture south of Medicine Hat shows little snow cover to rejuvenate water levels as of December 2023.

Action needed on drought preparations in Alberta

The Alberta Water Council released nine recommendations based on modelling exercise

Reading Time: 2 minutes The province, municipalities and water management groups need to talk to each other more if Alberta wants to mitigate future drought crises, according to the Alberta Water Council. “Preparedness and adaptability are the keys to successfully responding and adapting to the risk of multi-year drought,” the AWC said in a late-February report. That statement comes […] Read more



Alberta government asks people with water licence to move their licences online

Alberta government asks people with water licence to move their licences online

Moving licences online will simplify things and make sure the government can track water availability

Reading Time: 2 minutes To make things simpler and faster, the government of Alberta is asking thousands of water licence users to move their licences online. The province has a digital system that lets users report on water use and manage their licence through a confidential online tool.  A typical water licence allows the holder to divert water and […] Read more



Check your grain bins for spoilage

Check your grain bins for spoilage

Reading Time: < 1 minute Several cases of spoiling crops showed up in February, says provincial crops market analyst Neil Blue. “Perhaps the mostly warm temperatures this winter and the January period of record cold temperatures have been a factor,” said Blue. After being placed into storage, crops respire for a month or more, and this can release moisture. Dense […] Read more

Preliminary results suggest that Alberta grasslands fared better than others in weathering the effect of drought.

Researchers delve into drought and grasslands

Global project will provide valuable insights as droughts increase, Alberta scientist says

Reading Time: 3 minutes A global study is examining the surprising ways short-term droughts can affect grasslands. “It’s not surprising that less water is going to lead to less plant growth. We’re all very familiar with that,” said Cameron Carlyle, associate professor of rangeland ecology in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta, […] Read more