Dry conditions continued to dominated much of the western Prairies, while the eastern Prairies received above normal precipitation through October. Several locations recorded temperatures above 20°C during the last week of October in each of the three provinces. A few storm events generated significant precipitation across the Prairies, especially in northeastern Alberta, east-central Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba, with several stations recording above 200% of normal precipitation. Well below normal precipitation continued through west central Alberta, southern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan, and the Peace Region. Calgary and Red Deer recorded just 12 and 13% of normal monthly precipitation, while Medicine Hat recorded 23% of normal.
Poor precipitation throughout west-central and southern regions of Alberta resulted in the expansion of the extent and severity of drought heading into the winter. A large pocket of short-term Extreme Drought (D3) developed between Calgary and Edmonton due to exceptional low precipitation this fall. October was the second consecutive month of precipitation being below 40% of normal through this region. Southern Alberta, southwestern and south-central Saskatchewan continued to receive below normal precipitation resulting in the expansion of the Moderate Drought (D1) and the Abnormally Dry (D0) regions. Outside these regions most of the prairies received normal or above normal precipitation resulting in general improvement. Much of northeastern Alberta received greater than 150% of normal monthly precipitation, including 226% of normal in Fort McMurray. The substantial precipitation resulted in the reduction of Moderate (D1) to Extreme Drought (D3). Significant precipitation fell in East-central Saskatchewan and west-central Manitoba improving remaining drought regions. Much of southern Manitoba recorded more than twice the normal October precipitation. October and September precipitation has resulted in improved soil moisture, streamflow and surface water and resulted in drought conditions being significantly reduced in all areas of southern Manitoba.
At the end of the month, 82% of the Prairie Region was classified as Abnormally Dry (D0) or in Moderate to Exceptional Drought (D1 to D4), including 68% of the region’s agricultural landscape.
