As planting and seeding begins across the country, farmers look to Mother Nature to do her part and provide positive growing conditions through the entire season.
Earlier this week on RealAg Radio, host Shaun Haney spoke with Michael Clark, of BAMWX, about the Canadian spring and summer forecast.
Similar to most regions of North America, summer has begun abruptly as a drawn out winter vanished without much spring weather as a transition. “The snap to sudden summer is related to the higher pressure going away,” says Clark.
The Canadian Shield splits the country geographically, but it will also split the summer forecast, by the sounds of it. “Really, Eastern Canada and U.S is the ideal place to be this summer.” says Clark.
There has definitely not been a shortage of moisture in the Ottawa Valley, for example. In April, the total precipitation was 112.8 mm while the average is 6 5mm. With the warm weather expected in the east, it will bring moisture.
The Prairies, however, are a different story. “June, July, and August will run very dry in the Canadian Prairies with not much hope for a lot of moisture, based on our current models,” predicts Clark. “This is not code red; the timeliness of rains is what will matter.”
BAMWX has analyzed some models and they are seeing similar patterns for the prairies going back to 2012, 2006, 2001, and 1986. According to Clark, those years had a hotter and drier bias than normal.
You can hear the entire conversation with Michael Clark of BAMWX by clicking play below:
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