Pregnant donkeys are towed out of danger behind an ATV. Although they are miles from the nearest river, a flash flood swept through the Von Bargens’ yard near Gilbert Plains on April 28 leaving them with over a dozen dead calves. photo: submitted

Flash flood swamps farmyard

AGilbert Plains family is blaming illegal drainage for the flash flood that had swept through their farmyard April 28 — causing $500,000 in losses. “It was truly like something you would watch on TV,” said Karen Von Bargen, who ranches with her husband Craig. Amazed by the force of the sudden deluge, they clung to fences

Cooler weather trying to move in

Warm and active are the best ways to describe this forecast period. It finally looks as though spring is taking hold across the forecast region as fairly mild air moves in. Along with the warmer air will come plenty of chances for showers and thundershowers. Unfortunately, it now looks as though the warm air might


Protesting farmers used farm equipment to temporarily block access to the Portage Diversion April 29.   Photo: shannon vanraes

Farmers, government spar over use of Portage Diversion

The channel ‘park-in’ demonstration by Lake Manitoba farmers and landowners 
was aimed at bringing attention to the government’s handling of 2011 flood

A protest by 60 fed-up Lake Manitoba-area farmers and landowners at the Portage Diversion April 29 was still making waves this week as organizers prepared for a court hearing into the province’s injunction against them. Kevin Yuill, who farms about 3,000 acres north of Portage la Prairie, organized the event that saw tractors and heavy

Is the jet stream getting stuck more often?

It’s best to hope these ‘blocking patterns’ don’t become the norm This is one of those weeks when I’m just not sure what to write about, so I thought I’d discuss some ongoing weather research that just might help us understand how we could go from a record-warm March to a record-cold April in just


Models continue to bring in warm weather

After several weeks of seeing the warmer weather only a week or so away, it finally looks like it will arrive! Is this going to spell an end to our record spring cold snap? I’m not totally convinced of that yet. On Wednesday it looks like there will be another area of low pressure pushing

A new look at radiational cooling

If long-wave radiation can easily escape the area, we could see net cooling even if the sun is shining

I came across a weather article last week that was a purely academic discussion about radiational cooling. It was one of those articles that at first glance seemed to be purely a discussion for true weather geeks, meteorologists and university professors, with very little if anything to do with an everyday understanding of the weather,


Province expands subsidies to prevent basement flooding

Municipalities are offering up to $3,000 for homeowners to install sump pumps, pits and in-line backwater valves

The province is strongly encouraging homeowners across Manitoba to take advantage of the current subsidy program offered by 22 municipalities to help reduce the risk of basement flooding, Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux said in an April 15 release. “The threat of flooding has become an all-too-frequent reality facing Manitoba families and municipalities. That’s why

2013: The year without a spring?

Back in 2004 we had the year without a “proper” summer. Last winter it was probably the closest we could come to a year without a winter. Maybe this year it’s going to be the year without a spring. The longer we remain in what can only be described as a “deep freeze,” the better


Some signs of warm weather

It looks like we’ll have to endure another week or so of cold weather before the weather models finally agree that warm weather will try to move in. After southern regions were brushed by a major late-winter storm on Monday we are left in a cold northwesterly flow for most of this week. Temperatures will

Funds assist with malt barley analysis

Staff / Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) has been granted $82,000 from the Western Diversification Program to do more complex testing and analysis of malting barley to meet increased international barley quality standards. “This investment will allow the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre to strengthen the international competitiveness of Western Canada’s malt and malting