Snow plows and shovels were out in full force across Saskatchewan after this weekend’s storm that not only brought snow but also gusty winds between 60 and 70 kilometres an hour.
A winter storm warning was in effect for southern and central regions of the province, resulting in some roads either closed or travel was not recommended on them.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Justin Shelley says preliminary numbers are currently hard to come by due to the blowing snow making measurement hard to track, but secondary reports suggest 14-18cm of snow fell in the Regina area, with areas to the west seeing less but more in areas east and north.
“Regina looked like they were just on the edge of the heaviest precipitation with this event,” Shelley noted.
Other areas, Shelley says, have reportedly gotten 30-40cm of snow with Saskatoon and North Battleford getting in excess of 40cm.
“Certainly one of the more significant events we’ve seen this winter and over the course of the last couple of years.” he added.
Shelley says a weak system will bring some snow – up to 10cm – to the southeast region on Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Looking ahead, he says there is a couple days of chilly temperatures then a warming period toward the end of the week.
But as urban centres continue to dig out, farmers around the province are appreciating the much needed moisture.
Past Chair of SaskWheat Brett Halstead farms in the Nokomis area, southeast of Saskatoon, says its hard to tell how much fell because it blew around but it was enough to push around. The snow came at a good time as Halstead was in need of it before the storm.
“It’s definitely nice,” Halstead said. “It blew around so it’s going to help a little bit with runoff and dugouts and creeks…but nothing replaces a good spring rain and we’ll still need some of that to ensure a good growing season.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Hursh, Chief Agricultural Editor of SaskAgToday.com, described the aftermath from his home office in Saskatoon as “paralyzed or slowly digging out”.
Hursh farms in the Cabri area, northwest of Swift Current, and says that area appeared to not get as much snow as he’d hoped.
“It looked really promising,” Hursh said. “You follow it on weather radar and it just seemed to want to track through the central region rather than down in southwest Saskatchewan, so a bit of a disappointment actually. When a large snowfall is forecast and it misses an area that really needs it there is some disappointment, but a little bit of snow came and maybe it will be a start.”Ranchers in southern and central Saskatchewan also hope the weekend snowfall will be a sign that moisture conditions will continue to improve in the coming weeks.
Garner Deobald is a rancher near Hodgeville and is President of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. He says everyone needs moisture.
“There are some places where there is some water from last year yet but (in) a lot of places, its low and groundwater in general is really low.” Deobald said.
With the Water Security Agency forecasting a well below normal runoff, the snow may push some regions into the below normal category.
(With files from Neil Billinger, CJWW)