22% of normal precipitation

[AlbertaFarmer5]

I knew it has been dry, but just checked Alberta Ag site for weather stats, now I know why. We are between two stations, one is at 22% of normal precip from June 11 to today, the other is at 33% And heat units are up considerably from normal. I cherry picked that date since the 10th was the last ( and greatly unneeded, can't make water wetter) flood that did so much damage. Even if I go back to April 1, still only at 68% of normal. Most of the precipitation we have received has either been the frozen variety, or too small to do much more than settle the dust.

No wonder the pastures are hardly growing, second cut long since quit, and crops, especially later seeded are suffering. Haying sure was easy though. The ruts from combining, seeding and spraying are hard as concrete now, bouncing over them should be good for the equipment.

[mcfarms]

And you are in the rainy part normally if I remember correctly. We are going to have a crop thanks to last falls moisture and one miracle rain on July 11 but zero and I mean no moisture since then at all and as you say pastures are in very tough shape and are our number one concern. Looking both like an early weaning and early feeding year, fortunately have some irrigation and am going to try for a third cut of hay to hopefully ensure we can get enough feed as I am afraid we are going to need it but looking like a long a costly feeding season ahead. Does not appear like our big normal after harvest and after weaning holiday will happen this year. But those five days I took off the farm last fall will have to do. I did grab 2 days in July and felt guilty about it. Thank god we have this tax cheating easy life tax shelter right JT?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

MCfarms, yes we are supposedly the wettest place in the prairies except for a few places in Manitoba. But once a pattern gets set up, it just won't break. Had the opposite the past two years, no precipitation all spring/early summer, then once it started, it wouldn't quit.

Was supposed to be showers or rain the past two days, not even enough to measure, but judging by the radar, someone got a lot. Not a drop in the 14 day forecast either.

The worst part is seeing all the most productive land unseeded or drowned out due to the wet fall and spring, that could have been so productive on such a hot dry year.

[bigzee]

We've had more rain in the last month and a half then all year. Little over an inch since seeding.

[sumdumguy]

Like Farmaholic says, there is an invisible wall at Regina. All kinds of clouds on radar and satellite but as soon as they hit "the wall", they scatter like soaked mice. It's harvest now so not so bad, hopefully November in Maui will make us feel better. 👍