A killing frost is expected across much of Western Canada this week.
A warm September and late frost dates for most of the West saved the day for many farmers last year.
“Unfortunately there isn’t a white knight upper air flow pattern coming to save the crop from frost like last year,” said Larry Flysak of Environment Canada in Saskatoon.
“The upper pattern this season is about as far away from last year’s as possible.”
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Wet conditions in much of Manitoba kept seeding equipment out of fields until late May and early June this year, while many in Saskatchewan failed to complete seeding.
Killing frosts in recent years have been later, but this year’s weather is about average.
Clear skies and cold over night temperatures were predicted for the week of Sept. 13.
Light frost appeared in higher elevations in Alberta and Saskatchewan in the first two weeks of September.
Last week in Saskatchewan, where the crops are the furthest behind, harvest was 13 percent compete prior to the mid and late week rains.
That compares to the five year average of 35 percent complete by the end of the second week of September.
Flysak said if there is any good news in the weather trend, it is that along with the cold temperatures there is little sign of major rain events.
However, at this time of year we won’t get strong drying.”
FROST: WHERE AND WHEN?
While no one wants to hear about frost forecasts when the crop is late and still in the field, The Western Producer is tracking the first frost dates and asking readers to tell us when it arrived on their farm.
We will map these dates and publish them in a future edition of the Producer.
In exchange for participating in this poll, many readers will receive Western Producer toques and other prizes.
Enter on-line at www.producer.com/contests, write us at Box 2500, 2310 Millar Ave., Saskatoon, S7K 2C4 or call our newsroom at 800-667- 6978 and tell us when the first frost arrived on your farm this year.
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