Prairie Weather (Rural Roots Canada) – Dry weekend weather for most of the agricultural prairies….let the harvest continiue!
Ideal harvest weather is expected through the weekend across southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. There may be some pauses in harvest operations in central Alberta and the Lakeland. And, rain is expected in the northern halves of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The map below shows rain extpected up to and including early evening of Sunday, September 28:
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While the rainfall will be copious west of the continental divide, the drying, downslope effect along the eastern Rockies will limit the moisture available for the prairies, especially the southern prairies. The best harvest opportunities for all three provinces will arrive Saturday and Sunday as high pressure re-establishes. Wind will be gusty on Friday in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and in Central Alberta, there remains a risk of patchy frost on clear nights, particularly in low lying areas.
Thursday
Alberta
A low developing in the Calgary area will bring cloud and scattered showers to northern and central Alberta by evening, moving to eastern Alberta overnight. During the afternoon, highs will reach the mid to high 20s in southern Alberta. and low to mid teens in northern Alberta. Patchy frost is possible in central and foothills areas, as overnight lows dip into the single digits. Behind the low and the showers, a westerly wind will develop overnight.
Saskatchewan
A Low in Alberta will move into western Saskatchewan late at night, but ahead of it, gusty southerly wind will develop. No rain is expected in Saskatchewan Thursday, but cloud will build in central and norhtern regions. Temperatures in southwestern Saskatchewan will remain unseasonably high, climbing to the low 20s. In central and eastern portions of the province, expect highs in the high teens.
Manitoba
A weak ridge of high pressure will keep Manitoba dry Thursday. Highs will reach the low 20s across southern Alberta, and in the north, expect afternoon temperatures in the upper teens. After some significant breezes earlier in the week, the wind will be lighter Thursday.
Friday
Alberta
The Low that produced rain for Alberta Thursday will have tracked into Saskatchewan by Friday. Behind the low, the sky clears, and the sky is sunny again. A westerly to northwesterly wind develops, and it could be particularly breezy in eastern Alberta. Early morning frost may be possible in the foothills, but the rest of the province carries no frost risk. Afternoon temperatures south of Edmonton should reach the high teens. Further north, expect highs in the 10-15 degree range.
Saskatchewan
Yesterday’s low in Alberta crosses central Saskatchewan Friday and produces periods of rain for the northern half of the province. South of Saskatoon, agricultural land will stay dry under a partly cloudy sky. There will be a brisk northwest wind, and it will be cooler as temperatures fall back to the mid to upper teens. By midnight, the Low will be in Manitoba, and the rain in northern Saskatchewan will end, followed by a clearing sky and a westerly wind.
Manitoba
Widespread showers can be expected in central and northern Manitoba, as the low from Saskatchewan moves in during the afternoon. Fronts will develop from the Low, and a cold front will sweep across southern Manitoba. While that region is not expected to get significant rainfall, the front will generate a gusty northwest wind, and bring cooler weather late in the day. Before the front crosses, temperatures in southern Manitoba could reach the mid 20s, then drop quickly back to the high teens.
Saturday
Alberta
Sunshine and a southwest wind will help temperatures climb to the low 20s Saturday in southern Alberta. It will by dry across the entire province, with no weather-related pauses in the harvest. Things will change, though late in the day. A Low will form just northwest of Calgary, and that will kick off some rainfall in the west central foothills, east toward Edmonton. The rain will begin late in the evening and will spread out overnight in a line from Jasper to Cold Lake. There is a slight risk of frost Saturday night in central regions and the foothills.
Saskatchewan
A low pressure system in the Northwest Territories will produce some rain in northern Saskatchewan, but the vast majority of the province will be dry, with some cloud cover in central regions. There will be no significant rainfall in agricultural regions. South of Saskatoon, expect highs in the low 20s. It will be 5 to 10 degrees cooler in the north. The wind may be a bit brisk in the morning, easing through the rest of the day.
Manitoba
A westerly wind and sunshine will make for excellent harvest conditions in Manitoba on Saturday. West of Portage la Prairie, temperatures in southern Manitoba should reach the low to mid 20s, with high teens and low 20s expected between Portage and the Whiteshell. In north central Manitoba, expect typical fall conditions with highs in the mid teens.
Sunday
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Early morning rain showers across central Alberta will end as high pressure develops and strengthens over the prairie provinces Sunday. All three provinces will be under a sunny sky with light and variable wind. In Alberta and Manitoba, temperatures will be seasonable, with highs in the upper teens to low 20s in the south. Temperatures in Saskatchewan will be similar, though they could climb to the mid 20s along the US border.
Earlier this week, we suggested the possibility of snow the west central foothills from Edson to Jasper. While it’s expected that the overnights and early mornings in the area will be quite cold, moisture is not expected to coincide with the colder weather, therefore snow is no longer expected.
COMPARE: Prairie Weather This Week – Sept 15
