| | Most of Alberta has been experiencing unusually warm and dry winter weather, with temperatures and snowpack accumulations for some areas at record extremes over the entire period of observation (1961-2011).
60-day temperatures relative to normal as of January 8, 2012
- Over the past 60-days (November 10, 2011 to January 8, 2012), average daily temperatures relative to normal are classified as being at least 1-in-12-year highs across most of the province, with several areas being the warmest during the 51-year period of observation (1961-2011).
60-day precipitation accumulations relative to normal as of January 8, 2012
- Over the same 60-day period, precipitation accumulations are estimated to be at least 1-in-3-year lows for most areas east of Highway 2, with parts of east-central Alberta being the driest during the entire period of observation (1961-2011).
Snowpacks relative to long-term normal as of January 8, 2012
- Warm weather has also lead to unseasonable snowpack losses, with many areas east of Highway 2 and south of the Yellowhead Highway classified as being, at least, in 12-year lows, with large parts of east central Alberta not seeing snowpacks this low during the entire 1961-2011 observation period.
“To put this information into perspective, across Alberta’s agricultural areas, the six-month period, between October and March, is Alberta’s dry season and only accounts for about 24 to 30 per cent of average annual precipitation, ranging from about 100 mm across the central region to upwards of 140 mm across the Peace region,” says Ralph Wright, soil moisture specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “A dry winter receiving only 50 per cent of average precipitation accumulations amounts to a deficit of 50 to 70 mm. However, this can easily be made up in the spring or early summer, with above average accumulations.”
February is typically the driest month of the year across the agricultural areas of Alberta, with 50-year averages ranging from 5 to 10 mm across parts of the Special Areas, to 20 to 30 mm across much of the Peace Region.
“It is very difficult to reliably predict what the remainder of the winter will be like,” says Wright. “History has shown that Alberta is a land of extremes, and dramatic swings between prolonged dry, wet, warm and cold periods are not uncommon.”
Additional maps can be found at www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app116/quick.jsp
Near-real-time hourly station data can be viewed and downloaded at www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app116/stationview.jsp
Note: Data has about a two-hour delay and is displayed in MST.
Contact:
Ralph Wright
780-427-3556 |
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