The saying “April showers bring May flowers” hasn’t held true in 2019.
So far, it’s been the driest April on record, according to Environment Canada – though it may lose that title this weekend.
Saskatoon has only had 0.4 millimetres of rain this month, well below the city’s average of 21 mm.
“It’s been a very warm and dry month in Saskatoon, and it comes on the heels of a March that was also quite dry,” Kyle Fougère, a meteorologist with Environment Canada told CTV News.
March 2019 was the eighth driest March in Saskatoon history with only 3 mm of precipitation recorded.
The dry conditions have been beneficial for a local landscaping company.
“When it’s dry, that’s when we can work the most,” said Jared Reynish, owner of CJ Landscapes and Services.
“When it does rain a whole bunch, we’re not able to get in with the equipment and dig out the yards – they’re just too wet for us to get in.”
More than 120 rural municipalities in Saskatchewan have implemented fire bans.
The current driest April was in 1955, when 1.5 mm of precipitation was recorded.
Environment Canada is forecasting about 5 to 10 mm of precipitation this weekend, which could keep 1955 as the driest April in history.
