Reading Time: < 1 minute The overall forecast remains on track across both Alberta and Saskatchewan, so only a small update is needed for Manitoba. Across Manitoba, the area of low pressure that has been tracking across the northern half of the Prairie provinces is now forecasted to take a little longer to exit this region. The two main impacts […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Low lingers in Manitoba
Issued July 2, covering July 3 to 5
Prairie Forecast: Alberta low to bring bit of a cooldown
Issued June 28, covering June 28 to July 5
Reading Time: 3 minutes After a fairly active weather pattern over the last few days, at least across the eastern half of the Prairies, it looks like most regions will see much quieter few days to start off this forecast period. Weak upper-level ridging combine with a broad but weak area of surface high pressure should bring typical summer […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Low to push across region’s east
Update issued June 25, covering June 25-28
Reading Time: < 1 minute There has been a little bit of a shift in the overall weather pattern according to the latest weather model runs. The arctic high is dropping east-southeast as expected and will be around James Bay by the middle of this week. Along the southern boundary of the arctic air, the weather models show an area […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Shift in the pattern
Issued June 21, covering June 21 to 28
Reading Time: 3 minutes 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
Researchers study corn for frost tolerance
New research could help breed frost-resistant corn
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – New research at the University of Saskatchewan aims to help breeders bolster corn’s resistance to environmental stressors. Corn, along with other warm-season crops, has been creeping its way into new regions of Canada previously thought unsuitable for the crop. That, according to researchers at the university, is the silver lining of climate […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Alberta low to break in two
Forecast issued June 18, covering June 19-21
Reading Time: < 1 minute So far, the general forecast seems to be on track, but there have been some changes. The area of low pressure expected to develop and move north through Alberta is still on track but the weather models now it show it winding itself up across central and northern Alberta on Monday before it breaks apart […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Alberta low looks to dominate
Forecast issued June 14, covering June 14-21
Reading Time: 3 minutes So far, the weather models have been doing a good job with the medium-range forecasts, only falling off late in the forecast period. Of course, in the summer, short-range forecasts can be difficult, especially when it comes to just when and where thunderstorms will develop. I always find it interesting that a forecast could be […] Read more
Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec
Over 200 of 449 wildfires now out of control
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early-season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home. Canada is enduring its most destructive start to wildfire season, with about 4.8 million hectares — […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Switch in pattern but summer sticking around
Forecast issued June 7, covering June 7-14
Reading Time: 3 minutes The weather models are doing a good job handling all the heat and humidity that has been driving thunderstorms and breaking temperature records across the eastern half of the Prairies over the last week. To the west it has been a little cooler and drier, with not as much instability to deal with, but nonetheless, […] Read more
International help rolls in to fight unyielding Canadian wildfires
Almost 80 of Quebec's fires currently out of control
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Allies around the world are promising to boost support for Canada’s fight against hundreds of blazes amid the country’s worst-ever start to wildfire season, which is fueling concerns about the worsening consequences of climate change. Forest fires continued to burn across Canada on Thursday, forcing thousands of people from their homes […] Read more