Prairie Farmers on Lookout for Frost
03.09.2010 11:34 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
More light frost could in store for parts of the Prairies near the end of this week but the more serious threat will likely be the following week, according to a U.S. meteorologist.
Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. said a weather system is expected to roll across the prairies early next week, and it’s behind that system that there could be some freezing activity.
«It’s feasible if we get a fairly good storm system that passes through the prairies, and then Tuesday or Wednesday it would probably be cool again.»
Lerner said if it freezes during that time frame, the temperatures would be more damaging than what could be experienced throughout the Labour Day weekend.
Sandy Massey, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, agreed there is a risk of frost, but added the lowest forecast temperatures for the Canadian prairies within the next week are in the 3 degree Celsius range. «There is a chance (of frost), but aside from a couple of days, the overnight lows are always higher.»
But while the risk of frost is on the minds of producers, perhaps even more so is the precipitation that continues to fall.
Lerner said there is more rain on the way for the Canadian prairies over the next week.
«For the eastern prairies, it’s going to be an awful, awful mess,» he said. «We should have a few dry days coming Friday, Saturday, and maybe Sunday, but I don’t think there will be a lot of aggressive field work if there is any at all on those days.»
Lerner said the next storm system is due to come into the region late Sunday and into Monday, and it is expected to bring with it substantial rainfall amounts. He said all parts of the prairies will be affected by the system, with the eastern regions being the hardest hit.
«My feeling at this point is that the eastern prairies are going to have a difficult time getting enough dry weather for crop maturation, let alone harvesting,» he said.
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