Reading Time: 2 minutes 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.
Prairie forecast: Is winter making one last push?
Issued March 20, covering March 20-27, 2024
Prairie forecast: Very warm west, mild but a little unsettled east
Issued March 13, covering March 13 to 20
Reading Time: 3 minutes The cold weather has also been replaced by above average temperatures. The question I have been hearing the most is--has spring arrived or is there still a bit of winter left to be felt?
Below-normal spring runoff for most of Saskatchewan
Reading Time: < 1 minute Most of Saskatchewan will experience below-normal to well below-normal levels of runoff in 2024, according to the provincial Water Security Agency's Spring Runoff Forecast for 2024, released March 12.
Precipitation does little for Prairie drought relief
Most areas dryer than a year ago, drought monitor shows
Reading Time: 2 minutes While much of the Prairies received above-normal amounts of precipitation during the month of February, the additional moisture did little to alleviate dry conditions according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Canadian Drought Monitor (CDM).
Prairie forecast: Stormy start in the east, warming in the west
Issued March 6, covering March 6 to 13, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes After what was probably the biggest storm system of the winter, it looks like this forecast period will see a break from the active weather for the most part.
Prairie forecast: Storm system heads for southern Prairies
Updates forecast issued Feb. 29, covering Feb. 29 to March 6, 2024
Reading Time: 2 minutes The weather models have come into fairly good agreement for the storm system forecasted to impact much of the southern prairies over the next 24 to 48 hours. An area of low pressure is developing over Wyoming with an inverted trough stretching northwestwards.
Warm spring in the forecast for most of Canada
Moisture predicted to be normal across most of the country
Reading Time: < 1 minute All of Canada, aside from Yukon and parts of the Northwest Territories are expected to see warmer than normal temperatures over the next three months, according to the latest long-range seasonal forecast from Environment and Climate Change Canada, released Feb. 28.
Prairie forecast: More much-needed moisture expected
Issued Feb. 29, covering Feb. 29 to March 6, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cold Arctic air has invaded the Prairies much to many people’s surprise. We have gotten so used to mild spring-like weather that some people may be put off that winter has returned. For those who read my last column, this type of weather shouldn't be surprising since we are now moving into what can be the snowiest time of the year.
Prairie forecast: Mild start, then a chance of storms
Issued Feb. 21, covering Feb. 21 to 28, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes Sunshine prevailed a fair bit more over the last forecast period than expected and so did the milder temperatures. Oh, sure there were a couple of cold nights, especially over the eastern half of the prairies, but overall, temperatures ended up being about 2 to 4 C warmer than what was forecasted.
Prairie forecast: Dry and mild west, seasonal east
Issued Feb. 14, covering Feb 14 to 21, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you haven’t noticed, it has been an unusual winter, and that unusualness is causing all sorts of headaches with weather forecasting. In particular, cloud cover. In the last forecast period, it looked as if high pressure would dominate the weather bringing plenty of clear skies along with more seasonable temperatures.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
