Photo: Michelle Erickson-Jones/iStock/Getty Images

Prairie forecast: Winter settles in

Forecast issued Nov. 20, covering Nov. 20 to 27, 2024

You might be happy to know (or maybe not) that for this forecast period we should see a quieter but colder weather pattern across the Prairies. Arctic high pressure will be pulled southwards behind the eastern Prairie low and brings the first really taste of winter.




Cyle and Erika Stewart, with daughters Hazel and Resha.

Cyle and Erika Stewart

Outstanding Young Farmers 2024: Efficiency, sustainability and resilience are priorities when ranching during a long dry spell

Cyle and Erika Stewart say developing an efficient beef herd and managing pastures to optimize use of available forage during consecutive years of drought conditions has been the priority for their family-run ranching operation in southern Saskatchewan. The Stewarts, who own and operate Pine Ranch along with Erika’s parents Bill and Terry Strande, say they’ve […] Read more


Saskatchewan's Legislative Building in Regina in May 2024.

Saskatchewan gets new ag minister in cabinet overhaul

Moe shrinks and completely shuffles post-election cabinet

A rancher from the southeastern corner of Saskatchewan is the province’s new minister of agriculture, as part of a complete cabinet shuffle following last month’s election. Premier Scott Moe on Thursday named Daryl Harrison, MLA for the riding of Cannington since 2020, as minister of agriculture, replacing David Marit. The shuffle cuts Moe’s cabinet to […] Read more

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Prairie forecast: Mild weather returns

Forecast issued Nov. 6, covering Nov. 6 to 13, 2024

The weather models are showing an area of low pressure tracking across northern Canada on Wednesday and Thursday. This, combined with a digging trough of low pressure off the West Coast, will open the door for mild air to flood across the Prairies—first from the Pacific then from the western U.S.



A late-October cornfield in southeastern Manitoba. Photo: Geralyn Wichers

Prairie forecast: Warmer weather to continue

Forecast issued Oct. 30, covering Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, 2024

For this forecast period, as we work into what's often the first month of winter across the Prairies, it looks like the current warmer and drier-than-average pattern of the last two months will continue. Now, to be fair, we need to realize that we are transitioning into winter. Average temperatures are cooling, so though the forecasting is calling for above-average temperatures, those temperatures are getting cooler and cooler.



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Western Canadian calf market surges

For the week ending 26, Western Canadian calf markets were up $8-$12/cwt on average compared to seven days earlier. Pee-wee calves were up $20-$25/cwt compared to the prior week. Finishing feedlot operators were active buyers in all weight categories while backgrounders were cleaning up on smaller packages of calves under 550 pounds.