A large portion of agricultural country in Canada received significant rainfall in June, especially the southern Prairies.
The result has been significant, especially when comparing conditions last June.
“Nationally, 12.6 per cent of Canada’s agricultural land was classified as drought or abnormally dry conditions at the end of June. This compares to 66 per cent one year ago,” said Trevor Hadwen, agri-climate specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s National Drought Monitor.
WHY IT MATTERS: Tracking national weather trends over the long term across Canada can help farmers plan ahead to maximize their crops, despite at-times trying conditions.
Large portions of the southern Prairies received more than 150 per cent of normal June precipitation. A region through the central Prairies, stretching from Edmonton through Yorkton, Sask., and into west-central Manitoba, received 200 to 300 per cent of monthly normal precipitation.
The rainfall in June has resulted in the removal of all drought regions throughout the agricultural extent of the Prairies.
“This is the first time since 2020 that there has been no drought in the agricultural regions of the Prairies,” Hadwen said.
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That being said, the rest of the country did not escape the heat wave, with June proving to be a trying month.
Canada doubled its overall drought area from 9.3 per cent at the end of May to 18.8 per cent at the end of June.
Powering that drought were abnormally dry conditions in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, northern Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
A sliver of Saskatchewan was also hit hard.
”A new drought region developed in north-central Saskatchewan, as the region experienced their second-driest June on record,” said Hadwen.
Well-above normal temperatures, well-below-normal precipitation, poor winter snowpack and low stream flow and water supplies have resulted in drought expansion through large portions of British Columbia.
“A large region through the interior, stretching from Smithers to the southern Okanagan, received less than 25 per cent of their normal monthly precipitation,” Hadwen said.
“In addition, temperatures were above average, with some record-breaking temperatures toward the end of June.”
As of June 30, 80 per cent of B.C. was classified in abnormally dry or drought conditions. More than 56 per cent of the agricultural landscape and 83 per cent of the province’s population was classified in severe or extreme drought to the end of June.