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Warmer temperatures are welcomed in Battlefords regions

Oct 15, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Warmer weather is finally in the forecast for the area, which is something that is welcomed by many moving into the final few weeks of October.

The last few weeks have been tough on the prairies, with the colder temperatures combined with unwanted precipitation that has dominated most of harvest. In last week’s crop report, the northwest region —which is the Battlefords and area — was reported as stalled.

Natalie Hasell, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canad,a told battlefordsNOW the reasoning behind the major change in this week’s forecast.

“Overall, what we’re seeing is a shift in the patterns in our atmosphere over the prairies,” she said. “Since mid-September, the best way of describing of what we’ve been dealing with was an upper trough. It was an area of low pressure, but aloft. It dominated the weather here. We’re starting to see a shift away from that for the next little while.”

Today’s forecasted high in North Battleford is 11 degrees Celsius, which is right on track in terms of the normal temperatures for this time of year. Moving forward into the week, however, Wednesday’s forecasted high of 20 C, followed by 17 C on Thursday will be a huge change when compared to the conditions the area’s experienced so far this fall. Hasell said these temperatures will still move up and down moving into the rest of October.

“Everywhere in the prairies should see a warm up as we get to near normal conditions for today,” she said. “As the centre of the warm sector (gets to the area) you’ll see very warm temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday. It will cool off a bit as a cold front goes through on Friday, then another system affecting us over the weekend, temperatures are warm again for Saturday, then cool again on Sunday. Overall, you should see much nicer conditions for the next couple of days.”

Moving into the rest of the month, the overall temperatures will begin to fall back, with winter just around the corner. Hasell saids above-average temperatures are expected to continue, but with the averages getting colder, the clock is ticking.

“I don’t think we can expect the plus 17 to plus 20 temperatures for too much longer,” she said. “By the time we get to this time next week, the above normal temperatures continue, but the very warm is less likely. We will probably be back near normal temperatures. Some of the overnight temperatures might be below zero, so you might be in a freeze, fall cycle.”

In terms of what to expect for farmers and the harvest as a whole, the above average temperatures certainly won’t hurt those trying to get as much in the bin as possible before winter sets in. The dryer temperatures are forecasted to continue, but at this point, fall is on its last legs.

“Right now the precipitation forecast is relatively low,” Hasell said. “We don’t have any precipitation in the forecast today or tomorrow. We should see warmer and drier conditions than we’ve seen for the past while. I hope this means good news for farmers, I expect that most of Saskatchewan is looking at a delay with all of the very wet and cooler than normal temperatures we’ve seen over the last month. Hopefully, this is good news.”

 

brady.lang@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @BradyLangCJNB