We start this forecast period with an area of low pressure exiting the eastern Prairie and taking the rain and wet snow with it. To the west, a weak frontal system looks ready to drop into northern Alberta where it should bring scattered showers.
Tag Archives Alberta
Prairie forecast: Warm weather gaining ground
Forecast issued April 23, covering April 23 to 30, 2025
Klassen: Fall fed cattle supply concerns strengthen feeder complex
For the week ending April 19, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2 to $3 above week-ago levels. Many auction barns did not have sales due to Good Friday but sale volumes were also smaller at active locations.
Prairie forecast: Temperature rollercoaster to continue
Forecast issued April 16, covering April 16 to 23, 2025
Spring is the toughest time to forecast, but this spring is being particularly tough. The atmosphere is in a very meridional flow right now. That means there are lots of troughs and ridges. So, instead of a persistent westerly flow across our region we are seeing warm southerly flows as ridges build, followed by cool northerly flows as the ridges collapse and are replaced by troughs of low pressure.
In disease resistance, sunflowers don’t shine
Practical Research: Insects don’t often hit economic thresholds, but sclerotinia and other diseases do damage
The known insect pests of sunflowers don’t often hit economic thresholds in those crops, but certain diseases can do significant damage.
Klassen: Feeder market returns to historical highs
For the week ending April 12, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded stead to as much as $10 higher compared to seven days earlier. The market has fully recovered from U.S. tariff uncertainty. Strength in the fed cattle market and healthy feeding margins continue drive replacement prices upward.
Kochia’s expanding herbicide resistance puts pressure on no-till systems
Kochia populations in Saskatchewan and North Dakota are now resistant to group 14 herbicides, leaving fewer options for Prairie farmers
Based on preliminary data from a recent Prairie-wide kochia survey, AAFC’s Charles Geddes suspects Group 14-resistant kochia is now present in multiple fields in Saskatchewan and expects it could soon be confirmed in other regions as well.
Prairies’ pollinators play a crucial role
It’s estimated pollinators, mainly bees, increase the production of numerous species of crops by as much as 75 per cent
University of Lethbridge researcher Shelley Hoover recently explained how these tiny creatures contribute billions to the Canadian economy and why their well-being is crucial for crop yields.
Prairie forecast: Warm start, unsettled weekend across extreme south
Forecast issued April 9, covering April 9 to 16, 2025
When we have these battles between warm and cold air, there's always a good chance for a storm system or area of low pressure to develop. We've seen this happen a few times this spring and looking at the latest medium range weather models, the Prairies are likely in for a few more storms as the battle continues.
Klassen: Feeder market experiences volatility during U.S. tariff week
During the week ending April 5, the feeder market felt sluggish early in the week. Prices were a bit softer on Monday and by Wednesday morning, quoted values were $10 to as much $20 below week ago levels. After making weekly lows Wednesday, prices fully recovered to the previous week’s levels.
Prairie forecast: Two lows and a high
Forecast issued April 2, covering April 2 to 9, 2025
This forecast period looks to be be defined by two areas of low pressure, one spinning off the west coast and the other spinning over eastern Canada. Exactly how these two lows behave a move will have a big impact on temperatures across the central and eastern Prairies.
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
