Saskatoon returning to 'typical' spring weather in 2024
April showers haven't exactly brought May flowers to Saskatoon just yet.
According to Environment Canada, rainfall has been recorded in Saskatoon for nearly half the month as showers, clouds and cool temperatures continue to dominate the forecast.
"It's been a pretty damp, unsettled May," meteorologist Brian Proctor said.
"A relatively cool May is probably the best way to look at it so far."
Proctor says the climate station in Saskatoon has recorded rainfall on nine of the 18 days it's been active this month.
The wet weather has been a stark contrast to spring last year.
Last year, there was a combined 9.3 millimeters of rainfall in the city in March and April before roughly 52 mm fell in May.
This year, there was 10.8 mm of rain fell in March, another 25.6 mm fell in April and so far there has been 36.6 mm of rain in May.
While those numbers may seem like more than normal, Proctor says it's actually what the area has received historically.
"We're probably looking for a much more normal spring from a moisture point of view that we saw last year is probably the best way to look at it," Proctor said.
The historical average for March is around 15.6 mm of precipitation, 22.7mm for April and 43 mm in May.
Smoke from wildfires was blanketing many parts of the prairies this time last year as a widespread dry start to spring led to plenty of extreme conditions.
"Hopefully it's going to help to alleviate some of those extreme conditions, but we're still going to be at a moisture deficit," Proctor said. "It's still going to be in drought conditions across portions of the province. But every bit of moisture we get really helps us as we start moving into that growing season"
Bill Prybylski understands that challenge all to well. The Yorkton-area farmer is working to put his 42nd crop in the ground when the fields are dry enough to do so.
"Farmers are never happy when it comes to rain," he said. "They want more then it's too much."
While his area has fared better than other part of Saskatchewan in recent years, he knows other farmers would be praising the wet weather when they consider the drought conditions the past few years.
But as each rain cloud passes over, it increases the possibility of delaying seeding, which has a trickle effect on the rest of the growing season.
"The cool conditions mean that those plants aren't germinating quite as quickly as we would hope and the longer the seed stays in the ground without germinating, it is more susceptible to soil-borne diseases," Prybylski said.
"The crops that are or have emerged, they'll be progressing more slowly and that leads to possibly some issues in the fall with frost or whatever conditions are like in the fall."
According to the latest crop report from the province released on Thursday, seeding is currently 32 per cent complete, which is up 20 per cent from last week, but behind the five-year average of 54 per cent and the 10-year average of 45 per cent.
With more showers and cool temperatures in the forecast, Pybylski and the thousands of farmers like him will be forced to work some longer hours to avoid any further delays this year.
"Obviously we can't do anything about the weather," Prybylski said.
"When the weather does allow us to be out in the fields we will we will be going hard to get to get as much done as and as quickly as possible."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING B.C. election results: NDP pulls ahead in key riding that could help party clinch majority
The ongoing count of absentee ballots in B.C.’s nail-biting 2024 provincial election has put the NDP ahead of the Conservatives in the Surrey-Guildford riding.
'We promise to be better': N.S. firefighter club criticized after group in KKK costumes attends Halloween dance
A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.
Next CPP payment coming on Tuesday for Canadian retirees
Here's how retirees will get their funds from the federal benefit.
'We can't control them': Clothing recyclers frustrated by criminals operating in donation bin industry
An organization that represents clothing recyclers says they’re frustrated after a W5 investigation found a fake charity and some violent players connected to organized crime have been muscling in on the clothing donation bin industry, and is calling for governments to do more.
Ont. couple accused of human trafficking plead not guilty as trial gets underway
Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney is underway Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with both entering a not guilty plea.
Google exempt from Online News Act for 5 years, must pay news outlets $100M: CRTC
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has granted Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act, ordering it to pay $100 million to Canadian news outlets within 60 days.
'Pieces of wood': Gummy candies recalled, Canadian Food Inspection Agency says
A recall has been issued for gummy candies due to pieces of wood, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Why a group of Canadian doctors says workplace sick notes need to go
Canadian doctors are calling for employers and schools not to require sick notes when it comes to short-term minor illnesses.
Poilievre promises to abolish federal sales tax on new homes under $1 million
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says if his party forms government, it will scrap the federal sales tax on new homes sold for less than $1 million and push provinces to do the same.