Further Prairie Drought Improvement in June

Prairie drought continued to improve in June following significant moisture across southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. 

According to the latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor, 39% of Prairie farmland was being impacted by abnormally dry or drought conditions as of the end of June, down from 44% at the end of May and 63% at the end of April. 

Several storm systems passed through southern and central Alberta in June, bringing substantial amounts of rain, including a mid-month system that dropped between 75 to 125 mm on the Calgary area. In fact, upwards of 150% to more than 200% of normal precipitation fell in many areas of Alberta, in some cases as much as one-third of an entire year’s precipitation. 

“This much-needed moisture at this time of the growing season was crucial for crop growth development and pasture recovery in the region, especially considering the previous extreme drought duration and extent,” the monitor said. 

With the rainfall, all areas of extreme drought in Alberta have now been eliminated, except for a small pocket near the US/Alberta border, and only two pockets of severe drought remaining across the southern part of the province. 

Meanwhile, south-central to southwestern Saskatchewan continued to report drought concerns despite significant rainfall in the southwest. South-central Saskatchewan was the driest region in the country during Jun - specifically from Indian Head towards Swift Current and Assiniboia. Many parts of this region recorded less than 40 mm of rain, less than half the normal June precipitation, with some regions recording less than 20 mm. Abnormally dry to severe drought expanded eastward slightly as a result of this short-term moisture deficit, the monitor said.