Life quickly changed for the Willner family after a tornado touched down and destroyed much of their heritage-designated farm near Davidson, Sask., July 19. “We were literally standing on the front steps after a family barbecue. You could see a funnel cloud starting to form and it literally dropped down in the centre of our […] Read more
Weather — page 69
Family remains positive after tornado
Farmers, communities continue to tally damage from floods
Southern Saskatchewan residents continue to tally the effects of last week’s heavy rain, which took a toll on crops and communities. The low-pressure system stalled in the grain belt from July 11-13, pounding some areas with up to 130 millimetres of rain. The Estevan area was hard hit, as was the area reaching north and […] Read more
Flooding the newest threat to prairie crops
If crop insurance data is an indicator, flooding may now be the most common plague in Saskatchewan. Statistics from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. show that excessive rain caused 49 percent of all crop losses from 2006-15. In comparison, drought was responsible for 18 percent of all losses during that decade. Lorelei Hulston, the crop […] Read more
Too much rain better than the alternative
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Farmers attending a field day in Swift Current last week weren’t too concerned about sitting on a flat-deck trailer in the spitting rain. The deluge of rain just days earlier wasn’t much of a problem either. It’s better than the alternative, they said. For example, this time last year only 12 […] Read more
Flooding now causing most crop damage
If crop insurance data is an indicator, flooding may now be the most common plague in Saskatchewan. Statistics from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. show that excessive rain caused 49 percent of all crop losses from 2006-15. In comparison, drought was responsible for 18 percent of all losses during that decade. Lorelei Hulston, the crop […] Read more
Early crop changes dynamic of this year’s hail season
Prairie hail adjusters are busy earlier than usual this year following several recent storms. “We’ve been pretty steady since June 21,” said Murray Bantle of Regina-based Co-op Hail and chair of the Canadian Crop Hail Association. “It’s kind of been hailing every couple days whether we need it or not.” He said companies have written […] Read more
Drought, disease take toll in Ont. corn, wheat
ESSEX County, Ont. — There’s an old adage among Ontario farmers when they talk about corn: knee high by the fourth of July. That’s the case for Terry Byrne and his brothers, a 20-minute drive from the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit, but their corn isn’t healthy deep green-blue hue. Instead, the bottom leaves […] Read more
Farmers evaluating rain damage to crops
Farmers are assessing crops after this week’s heavy rainfalls throughout southern Saskatchewan. It’s too soon to tell just how much damage was done, but pulse crops will be particularly at risk from sitting in water. Other crops have lodged in the heavy rain and wind. Rainfall amounts varied widely, and hit 130 millimetres in Estevan […] Read more
Maps show how much rain fell on Prairies
UPDATED TUESDAY 4:40 p.m. — Heavy rain fell in much of Saskatchewan on Sunday, Monday and today. Parts of Alberta and southern Manitoba also got rain in recent days. A number of communities in Saskatchewan reported flooding Sunday, Monday and today. The rain continued on Tuesday from the slow moving low. Eastern Saskatchewan could continue […] Read more
UPDATED: Rain not letting up in Sask.
UPDATED: Tuesday July 12, 2016 – 1535 CST – Heavy rain has resulted in some minor flooding on waterways in northeastern Saskatchewan, says the Water Security Agency. Burntout Brook near Arborfield peaked at 44 cubic metres per second last night, a one-in-50-year event. The Pasquia River at Highway 9 is flowing at 33 m3/s, which […] Read more
