Alberta agriculture moisture – southern region would be happy to have some

Jan 27, 2021 | 4:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — While there is still another month of winter, there are already concerns about moisture, or more specifically, a lack of it in some locations.

Snow pack in the mountains is looking good and as of the first week of November, a significant amount of snow covered the south-east corner of the province, as well as parts of the Northern Peace Region, with as much as 30-cms.

During that early week in November, a weather system produced 15 to 30-mm of snow to most of Alberta, in a line from the Crowsnest Pass and north eastward to Lloydminster. Other areas got 6 to 15 mm, with only minimum snowfall in the foothills from Stavely to Rocky Mountain House.

Alberta Government Resources show Soil Moisture reserves heading into winter were variable across the province. It range from 6 to 12 year highs along the western border of the North East Region, to one in 25 year lows in the central part of the Peace region.

As for the South region, much of the land had near normal moisture reserves and above average snowpack. However, since November, the south has seen mostly snow free days through the winter and exceptionally rough Chinook wind throughout January.

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Gusty wind that surpasses 100-kmph, tend to take a lot of reserve moisture out of the ground, which leaves stubble and dry grass fields that are more prone to grass fires.

The moisture levels for Alberta`s south region is quickly becoming a concern for ranchers, farmers and firefighters. Fingers are crossed for Mother Nature to send moisture in that direction. Whether it comes in the form of rain or a big snow dump, doesn`t much matter at this point.

by Dori Modney