From May until early August, almost all rain that fell on southern Manitoba came from thunderstorms. There hadn’t been a widespread rain for months — until the weekend of Aug. 12.
The rain’s arrival is too late for crops like wheat and oats, but the precipitation should provide a boost for corn and soybean yields in Manitoba.
Rick Rutherford anticipates a massive variability in yields on his farm northwest of Winnipeg because it all depends on the where and when of thunderstorms.
“We refer to it as the thunderstorm lottery,” said Rutherford, who farms 5,500 acres near Grosse Isle, Man. “We talk about it… where did the lottery hit today?”
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He expects strong yields around his farmyard, but below average from fields that are farther north.
“We could have the highest, ever, average canola yields on our farm, (but) we farm a sizable parcel of land three miles north of here. It’s had half as much rain and we thrashed winter wheat up there at 50 bu. per acre.”
The winners of the thunderstorm lottery will be better known in a few weeks when harvest is fully underway.
