Agricultural moisture situation update from June 7

Synopsis

Since the last report (May 31, 2022), the weather has been extremely active. Between May 31st and June 2nd, wide spread frosts affected many lands across the provinces growing areas (Map 1). A few days later, a major storm system brought significant and much needed rains across many of the drought stricken southern portions of the Province.

This system was accompanied by some localized damaging thunderstorms. Photo 1 shows the aftermath of heavy rains which pounded an area 75 km west of Brooks, near Lomond, delivering an unverified 175 mm of rain mixed with hail (Photo 1, courtesy of Jason Schneider). Note that this system eluded all weather stations in the area and was not captured on the maps presented here.

Precipitation over the past 7-days

Many parts of southern Alberta received much needed rain over the weekend and into Monday (Map 2). Recorded rainfall totals ranged from 40 to 70 mm across a wide area from Rocky

Mountain House, down to the Cypress Hills. The greatest amounts were measured at the Limestone Mountain (113.1 mm) and Clear Water Auto stations (94.6 mm), both located in the high country west of Sundre.

Unfortunately, the extreme southwestern parts of the Southern Region, only received 5 to 10 mm of moisture (Map 2). While this is enough to give crops a temporary boost, more will be needed here very soon. Large parts of the eastern-half of the province, from the MD of Acadia and north along a diagonal line up to the town of Peace River and beyond received 0 to 5 mm of rain.