An aerial photo of a truck on a road in Argentina with a patchwork of different crops visible around it.

Dry weather affects crop production in other countries

While Prairie producers are expecting good growing conditions this year, other countries currently struggle with dryness

REGINA — Dry conditions are affecting South American crops, which in turn will affect markets, says agricultural meteorologist Drew Lerner. The recent bump in corn and soybean prices has come from drier weather in Argentina and Brazil, the World Weather Inc. president told a Jan. 7 webinar. Uruguay and parts of Paraguay are also dry. […] Read more

A recent longer-range weather forecast for the Prairies says there will be dry periods, but they will follow wet periods.  |  File photo

Meteorologist predicts better growing season

Long-time weather forecaster says drought conditions that caused problems in 2024 aren’t expected to occur this year


REGINA — Drew Lerner says Prairie farmers can expect better growing conditions in 2025. The World Weather Inc. president said North America is moving away from multiple drought years due to several factors. The 22-year solar cycle, in particular, is peaking, which causes weather patterns to change, he told a webinar sponsored by Dutton Farms […] Read more

Russian farmers have only managed to seed 20.8 million acres of winter wheat, which is 11 per cent behind last year and the slowest pace in 11 years, according to SovEcon analyst Andrey Sizov. | Getty Images

Dryness delays winter wheat seeding in Russia

Poor soil moisture and limited rainfall mean the crop could enter dormancy in poor shape, resulting in lower yields

SASKATOON — Winter wheat planting is progressing slowly in the world’s largest exporting region. Russian farmers have only managed to seed 20.8 million acres of the crop, which is 11 per cent behind last year and the slowest pace in 11 years, according to SovEcon analyst Andrey Sizov. Related stories: Ukraine’s growers have planted 2.4 […] Read more


If La Nina develops this summer as anticipated, it could bring unwelcome weather at the tail end of the growing season. | File photo

La Nina’s return could bring early frost to Prairies

The weather phenomenon’s arrival is not guaranteed, and some believe it would be a weak one if it does materialize

SASKATOON — Farmers in the northern Plains region of North America should keep a close eye on La Nina, says a meteorologist. If it develops this summer as anticipated, it could bring unwelcome weather at the tail end of the growing season. Related stories: “An early frost may be possible there in the Dakotas and […] Read more

Three-quarters of the United States corn crop was rated good-to-excellent as of June 2, up from 64 percent last year. It is the sixth-best start in the last 20 years. | File photo

U.S. crops off to good start, but will it last?

SASKATOON — Grain crops are off to a nice start in one of the major exporting regions of the world, but weather challenges could lie ahead. Three-quarters of the United States corn crop was rated good to excellent as of June 2. Spring wheat is one percentage point lower at 74 percent good to excellent. […] Read more


The Black Sea region has dryness and geopolitical concerns, the European Union's crop is being slashed due to excessive moisture and ratings for the U.S. winter wheat crop are tumbling. | Reuters photo

All eyes on Russian weather as wheat rebound

Russia is experiencing a rough transition from El Nino to La Nina, which could significantly bite into yields this year

SASKATOON — Wheat futures have gained back much of the ground they lost since the start of the year in the last couple of weeks. And there could be further appreciation on the horizon if World Weather Inc.’s forecast for Russia proves accurate. Related stories: There is a tendency for ridge-building in parts of Russia […] Read more

Significant surface runoff and pooled water in many prairie growing regions gives the impression soils will get a decent recharge this spring. However, Phillip Harder, hydrological scientist and research director at Croptimistic Technology, said the late fall rains and freezing at the soil surface, combined with multiple midwinter melts, will likely restrict the amount of water that makes it into the soil. He said on many fields much of the snowmelt will run off or accumulate in field depressions, which will end up doing the heavy lifting when it comes to crop production if rains are sparse this summer.  |  Phillip Harder photo

Dry summer still indicated

SASKATOON — World Weather Inc. believes much of the United States and portions of the Canadian Prairies will experience drought in the summer of 2024. That forecast is based on an analysis of the 18-year lunar cycle. “I’ve looked at six analog years and all six of them have a drier and warmer bias for […] Read more

The preliminary forecast for India's rainy season looks favourable, according to Drew Lerner, president of World Weather Inc. | Getty Images

India extends exemption on pea import restrictions

The southwest monsoon is expected to deliver good rainfall this year

SASKATOON — India is extending its exemption on pea import restrictions to June 30. It had been set to expire on April 30. Farmers in that country are in the midst of harvesting their winter or rabi crop of pulses and it looks like another disappointing crop. The government estimates that growers will harvest 12.2 […] Read more


A meteorologist says parts of the Prairies will likely be dry again this year but probably not as bad as the previous year.  |  File photo

Signs point to better weather

CALGARY — The weather cycle that brought drought to the Prairies during the past few years will slowly change for the better, a meteorologist predicts. However, Drew Lerner, president and senior agricultural meteorologist at World Weather, Inc., says there could be challenges ahead for producers. This year could be better for some farmers and ranchers […] Read more