Recent rains welcomed throughout Central Alberta

Pasture and tame hay fields are delayed from cool spring temperatures. Pasture conditions (tame hay shown in brackets) are rated as 14 (eight) per cent poor, 30 (21) per cent fair, 51 (63) per cent good and five (seven) per cent excellent.

Across the province, precipitation in the South and Central regions is said to be a highlight story in this week’s crop report. A large portion of the Central and South regions received 20-50 mm of rain over the last seven days. This significant rainfall event was both timely – in that seeding for those regions is now largely complete – and meaningful – as those regions had the greatest need for moisture.

For a large area of the South region, roughly 50 per cent of all precipitation this growing season fell in the last week. Lethbridge has recorded 30-40 mm of rain so far this growing season and 20-30 mm of this total fell this past week. Medicine Hat received 40-50 mm in the past week, bringing its season total to the 75-100 mm range. The Calgary area has received 30-40 mm within the past week for a total of 60-75 mm growing season precipitation to date.

While more precipitation through the growing season will still be necessary for the South, given very poor subsoil moisture reserves, emergence will likely now accelerate and early season growth can continue.

The second highlight of this week’s crop report occurs in the Peace region where farmers’ action and efficiency has drastically increased seeding progress. Just two weeks ago the Peace region was at only 36 per cent completion which was roughly half of its ten-year average completion. Even with this extremely delayed spring seeding, the Peace Region is now 94 per cent complete (compared to its 96 per cent ten-year average).

Overall, seeding progress for major crops in the province is now 99 per cent complete, up 26 per cent from two weeks ago, and in-line with completion for the five-year and 10-year averages of 98 per cent. All regions except the Peace are over 99 percent complete and basically finished seeding of major crops.

Seventy eight per cent of major crops have now emerged across the province, only modestly behind the five-year average of 82 per cent.

Last week’s precipitation improved soil moisture reserves for the South, Central and Peace regions, but the North West and North East marginally declined. Despite the improvement in most areas, soil moisture reserves remain below the long-term average for most parts of the province, with the exception of the Peace region.

Despite the precipitation and highlighting the dry conditions of the South, subsoil moisture remains exhausted in the South where 91 per cent of sub surface (below 6 inches) soil moisture is rated Poor to Fair.

Pasture and tame hay conditions are relatively unchanged from the previous week. While recent precipitation offers opportunity for significant growth in the coming weeks, cool spring temperatures have also been a large growth limitation.

Sixty day average daily mean temperatures have largely been “cool” to “very cool” across the entire province. These are qualitative rankings indicating a once in six to 25 year pattern of well below average spring temperatures.

Provincially, pasture conditions (tame hay shown in brackets) are now estimated at 20 (14) per cent poor, 45 (40) per cent fair, 33 (44) per cent good and two (two) per cent excellent.

by rdnewsNOW Staff

Recent rains welcomed throughout Central Alberta

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