A winter storm impacting parts of the Prairies notwithstanding, the month of March failed to deliver any meaningful boost in Western Canada soil moisture.
As can be seen on the map below, precipitation across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and most of Alberta was well below average over the past 30 days. The lack of precipitation in March follows a mostly unremarkable February and winter season in general, once again leaving many farmers with dryness concerns heading into the planting season. Normally, late March - and especially April - is the first time in the new growing season that precipitation can be great enough to seriously improve soil moisture.
Still, there is hope. A storm expected to last into Friday was impacting portions of all three Prairie provinces today, with some areas in Saskatchewan and Manitoba potentially seeing up to 25 cm of snow. However, many other locations are forecast to receive far less.
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