Excerpt from Webster/DTN article yesterday
Showers May Blossom Soon
Showers Show Some Promise for Western Canada
Doug Webster DTN Senior Ag Meteorologist:
"Areal coverage of short to very short soil moisture levels continues to build and rainfall is needed soon to prevent some rather large crop losses for the season. As we have seen all season, Manitoba has fared the best with respect to rainfall with southern and eastern areas actually a little too wet for some. There has also been a little improvement across parts of southern Alberta during the past week with scattered showers for some but on the whole dry conditions are a major issue for most of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Our hopes for some increased rainfall are pinned to the idea of the stalled front and low pressure areas moving along it during the next week helping to induce showers and a few thundershowers. It is not out of the question a few thunderstorms could become strong and produce some strong winds and hail for a few spots but the rainfall produced by these storms will be more than welcome.
The upper level pattern evolving will allow for a bit of a battle ground between cooler weather across the northern Prairies and rather warm weather across the southern Prairies and the northern U.S. for several days. We have seen little of this pattern during the past couple of months which has lead us down the road into dry conditions.
Longer-range model forecasts are also showing some optimism for those looking for rainfall. For the first time in several weeks we are seeing near to above normal rainfall forecast for most of the Prairies for the second half of July into early August. If these forecasts verify we could see rains arrive just in time to help save the crop season for many farmers."
Showers May Blossom Soon
Showers Show Some Promise for Western Canada
Doug Webster DTN Senior Ag Meteorologist:
"Areal coverage of short to very short soil moisture levels continues to build and rainfall is needed soon to prevent some rather large crop losses for the season. As we have seen all season, Manitoba has fared the best with respect to rainfall with southern and eastern areas actually a little too wet for some. There has also been a little improvement across parts of southern Alberta during the past week with scattered showers for some but on the whole dry conditions are a major issue for most of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Our hopes for some increased rainfall are pinned to the idea of the stalled front and low pressure areas moving along it during the next week helping to induce showers and a few thundershowers. It is not out of the question a few thunderstorms could become strong and produce some strong winds and hail for a few spots but the rainfall produced by these storms will be more than welcome.
The upper level pattern evolving will allow for a bit of a battle ground between cooler weather across the northern Prairies and rather warm weather across the southern Prairies and the northern U.S. for several days. We have seen little of this pattern during the past couple of months which has lead us down the road into dry conditions.
Longer-range model forecasts are also showing some optimism for those looking for rainfall. For the first time in several weeks we are seeing near to above normal rainfall forecast for most of the Prairies for the second half of July into early August. If these forecasts verify we could see rains arrive just in time to help save the crop season for many farmers."
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