File photo of autumn colours around Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park. (Nancy Anderson/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie Forecast: Summer tries to hang on

Issued Sept. 27, covering Sept. 27 to Oct. 4

For being this far into fall, the weather models have been surprisingly accurate. Heck, I didn’t even need to send an update for the last issue! Not sure if I can be as optimistic for this forecast period, as we are moving deeper into fall and starting to see the first hints of winter trying

An initial swath in a canola crop north of St. Adolphe, Man. on Sept. 17, 2023. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairie Forecast: Warm fall weather to continue

Issued Sept. 20, covering Sept. 20-27

Even with some uncertainty in the last forecast, the weather models did a surprisingly good job. At one point it looked like I was going to have to send out an update as the models started trending toward a cooler pattern, but they quickly reversed back to a warm pattern. This brought the expected heat



Water flows through a washed-out culvert on the CN rail mainline at Truro, N.S. on July 23, 2023. (Photo: Nigel Gloade/Millbrook First Nations/Handout via Reuters)

Nova Scotia farmers granted late AgriStability entry

Enrolment for 2023 now an option until Dec. 31, 2024

Nova Scotia farmers who aren’t in on AgriStability for 2023 and whose operations were hit hard by weather events this spring and/or summer now have until the end of next year to enroll. The Nova Scotia and federal governments on Friday announced enrolment for the ag income stabilization program, which ended on April 30, has


Winnipeg, Sept. 7, 2023. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairie Forecast: Summer trying to hang on

Issued Sept. 6, covering Sept. 6 to 13

The weather models seem to be in good agreement for this forecast period, with no strong storm systems expected to impact the Prairies, making for a fairly high-confidence forecast. This forecast period will start off with a generally west to southwesterly flow across the Prairies. A broad but weak area of low pressure is expected

Global sea surface temperature anomalies in degrees Celsius for the week centred on Aug. 30, 2023. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

Rest of September to be warmer than normal for Prairies

Southern Prairies to remain drier than normal

MarketsFarm — As summer turns to autumn on the Canadian Prairies, the weather outlook for the rest of September is for temperatures to be warmer than normal, according to Scott Kehler, chief scientist for Weatherlogics. One of the factors in those forthcoming temperatures is the El Niño that has been developing over the last several


CBOT November 2023 soybeans with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans end month up on crop stress

Wheat down as global supplies weigh on U.S. prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybeans fell for a third consecutive session on Thursday, but ended the month higher as recent export activity and fears that dry weather damaged crops lent support. Wheat ended lower after trading both sides of even, pressured by plentiful global supplies. Corn ended the day and the month lower after

CBOT December 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX December 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. December 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Corn, wheat lower; soybeans move up

Corn, wheat already face harvest price pressure

MarketsFarm — Corn and wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) were on the decline during the week ended Wednesday, but those for soybeans were going in the opposite direction until hitting resistance. The December corn contract ended the week 9.75 cents per bushel lower at $4.8075 per bushel (all figures US$). The


Durum plants on Aug. 28, 2023 near Acadia Valley, Alta., about 160 km north of Medicine Hat, stand shorter with fewer kernels than normal due to dry conditions. (Photo courtesy Darold Niwa/Handout via Reuters)

Prairie Forecast: Mostly sunny and warm

Issued Aug. 30, covering Aug. 30 to Sept. 6

It’s a straightforward forecast for this period as the general weather pattern looks to be pretty quiet. It starts with a large area of high pressure centred over the Great Lakes with a weak area of low pressure over Alberta. The Great Lakes high will put sunny skies and warm temperatures over much of Manitoba

CBOT December 2023 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans climb as U.S. crop concerns grow

Crop tour forecasts crops below USDA estimates

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybeans and corn climbed on Monday after a U.S. farm survey predicted smaller crop production than government forecasts due to hot, dry conditions across the U.S. Midwest. Wheat dipped on weak demand for U.S. crops, coupled with competition from cheap Russian supplies. Chicago Board of Trade most-active soybeans gained 18