Rain widespread across southern Prairies over the weekend

A collective sigh of relief could be heard as most parts of the southern Prairies received some form of precipitation over the May long weekend.

Plenty of much-needed rain is falling across the Prairies today. You can see daily totals in bold blue on the map below! #abstorm #skstorm #mbstorm pic.twitter.com/fLucwsuEvw

— Weatherlogics (@weatherlogics) May 24, 2021

The Calgary area received almost three quarters of an inch of rain, while Lethbridge received a really good downpour on Sunday, according to RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney, clocking just over three quarters of an inch. At Bow Island, field editor Kara Oosterhuis reported just over an inch. In Vulcan County area, 1.25 inches was reported. Deep in the Palliser Triangle, a much needed 2.5 inches was reported.

1.25” Arrowwood,AB

— Meghan Desjardins (@MegDesjardins) May 26, 2021

2 1/2 ” elkwater Alberta

— GlenHofer (@HoferGlen) May 26, 2021

Some areas weren’t out of the woods yet for cold temperatures, but at least received some precipitation in the form of snow.

Couple inches of snow overnight, if it stays might provide a nice warm blanket for any canola seedlings in tomorrow morning’s freeze ?@NutrienAg_NAB @skydrama #plant21 pic.twitter.com/up1p0rBW0A

— Gus Skinner (@gusso_skinner) May 19, 2021

Across southern Saskatchewan, rain amounts were quite variable.

 

1.8 “ on Monday at Wilkie?

— Roger Cey (@cey_roger) May 25, 2021

I’m saying
.4 water from snow
1.1 yesterday
.5 in gauge this morning
2” total pic.twitter.com/4nOCU1tIij

— Gerrid Gust ?? (@gustgd) May 25, 2021

1.7 inches rain since Sunday. First of the year and critical to get the crop germinated.

— Corey Loessin (@loessin_corey) May 25, 2021

4.5” over the weekend at Ceylon, SK

— Shawn Catherwood (@CatherwoodShawn) May 25, 2021

3.1” at Grayson. I’m not worried about that info dropping grain prices cause I got nothing left to sell. New or Old crop.

— Danny Ottenbreit (@o2farms_sk) May 25, 2021

In Manitoba, field editor Kelvin Heppner tracked 1.5 inches of rain at Altona, from Wednesday, May 19 through to Saturday, May 22. Just northwest of him, 2.7 inches fell over Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Man.

2.7” north of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, MB over the the weekend pic.twitter.com/kWXovMiKZb

— Jeanette Gaultier (@JDGaultier) May 26, 2021

All this good news prompted this insightful tweet from Ross McKenzie, retired soil and crop research scientist.

A 1” rain will roughly increase crop production by ~$30 to >$60/acre, depending on the crop. AB, SK & MB have ~66 M acres of annual crop land. Multiply that by $40/ac that’s a value of >$2.6 billion! People often don’t realize the economic importance of rain to prairie farmers.

— Ross McKenzie (@rossmckenzieAG) May 24, 2021