It's Been a Challenging Winter....And It's Not Over Yet

This week's blizzard resulted in some high winds and blowing snow, but we didn't actually see much snow out of it. 

The high winds reducing visibility, blowing the snow that we did have around.

Farmers in many areas remain concerned about moisture levels and snow cover on fields and pastures.

This week's Alberta Clipper bringing blizzard conditions to many areas causing a number of challenges, including for livestock producers trying to feed and check on animals.

Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist Catherine Lang says the animals build up the hair coat for the winter, so they do okay in the blizzard, if they are sheltered and protected from the wind.

She says the challenge for the animals is with the swing in the temperature, from extreme cold to melting.

"It's really hard to keep cattle on feed, especially backgrounding animals, because those swings just really impact how much they want to eat. When it's cold, they burn through a lot of feed pretty fast, which is hard when you don't have a lot of feed to begin with. "

She notes this winter has been especially challenging with the lack of available feed and producers having to feed more because of the cold weather.

"It's a little scary, hoping that spring is going to come soon, and end with lots of green grass to put these cows out onto. Then, when it does warm up when you put the feed out that they should be eating, and they're not, they are wasting a little bit more. Which is, again, kind of hard to watch as well, as there's not a lot of that feed around, and it's hard to see them lay on it."

Depending on whom you want to follow, we may be in for more challenges.

Nova Scotia and Quebec’s groundhogs both predicted a long, cold winter ahead, while Ontario’s Wiarton Willie is calling for an early spring.

The Weather Channel releasing its February Forecast for the Prairies this week, saying we can expect an active weather pattern with several clippers tracking through the region, while temperatures are likely to tip to the colder side of seasonal.