File photo of beluga whales in Hudson Bay off Churchill, Manitoba. (Lynn_Bystrom/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie Forecast: Large Hudson Bay low dominates

Forecast issued July 12, covering July 12-19

As the weather models correctly predicted, a large and extremely strong area of low pressure formed over Hudson Bay during the last forecast period, bringing the expected cool and unsettled weather to the eastern half of the Prairies. Over the western half of the Prairies a weak upper-level ridging brought, for the most part, sunny […] Read more

The smaller the particle size of minerals in the soil, the better it is at holding water.

The fine balance of soil moisture

It’s a complex interplay that will always require rainfall in the semi-arid Prairies

Reading Time: 4 minutes Spring has been warmer than usual this year, making rain even more important. In the semi-arid Prairies, soils that hold some of winter’s meltwater may give emerging crops a good start but the finish is up to the water delivered by seasonal rainfall. Crop physiology depends on it. “Water is the key ingredient when it […] Read more



Forecast probability of temperatures above, below and/or near normal for the period from July through September 2023, based on three equiprobable categories from 1991-2020 climatology. (Weather.gc.ca)

Dry, hot Canadian summer expected

Normal precip expected for Ontario, Quebec

MarketsFarm — Warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected across all of Canada for the next three months, with average precipitation in most of the agricultural areas of the Prairies. That’s according to the latest long-range seasonal forecast from Environment Canada, released Friday. The government department calls for a 50-70 per cent chance of above-normal temperatures from July […] Read more





Monitoring crops for pests and disease is one of the most productive things farmers can do while waiting for rain, says Jeremy Boychyn, an agronomy specialist with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions.

To best weather drought, focus on what you can control

It comes down to making sure there’s room for recovery while balancing risk and cost

Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s not much that producers can do in the event of drought. They’re hostage to nature and hope for enough rainfall to save their crops. While recent rains in parts of Alberta were helpful, crops will need more moisture this season and there’s no guarantee it will come. But while watching the skies, farmers can […] Read more



Ducklings on display at the Red River Ex in Winnipeg on June 20, 2023 stuck to the shady side of the waterer as daytime temperatures maxed out at nearly 36 C. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairie Forecast: Shift in the pattern

Issued June 21, covering June 21 to 28

The weather pattern that brought some record heat to the eastern Prairies, and some significant rains to parts of Alberta, looks like it will be undergoing a bit of change during this forecast period. The overall flow across the Prairies appears as though it will become predominantly northwesterly as an upper low sets up over […] Read more