Hot July spreads drought across the country

A scorching July has seen Canada more than double its land area affected by drought to 39 per cent.

“The significant increase can largely be attributed to the developing drought conditions across northwestern Ontario, northwestern Quebec and the northern Prairies,” Trevor Hadwen, agroclimate specialist with Agriculture Canada, said in his national drought report for July.

“In addition to the increase in extent of drought, the drought severity also substantially increased.”

On the Prairies, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan experienced the largest rainfall deficits, coupled with the highest temperature anomalies for July. The majority of the regions saw less than 40 per cent normal precipitation, and temperatures were three to five degrees above the norm. However, agricultural regions continue to stand tall in the trying conditions.

“Spring moisture sustained most agricultural crops and water levels,” said Hadwen.

“The agricultural region in the Prairies continues to be largely drought free, with just two per cent of the region’s agricultural landscape in drought.”

The hardest hit in drought conditions has been in Central Canada, where there has been the perfect storm of conditions: well-below below normal precipitation and well-above normal temperatures from late spring to early summer. This has increased drought five-fold.

“Fifty-seven per cent of Central Canada is now rated as moderate to extreme drought, up from 11 per cent a month ago,” said Hadwen.

The amount of abnormally dry/drought through the agricultural regions also grew significantly, going from five per cent in June to more than 31 per cent by the end of July.

Severe to exceptional drought also doubled to nearly 19 per cent of Canada, although agricultural regions remained relatively unscathed, with the majority of affected regions being in the northern and boreal areas.

Nearly 11 per cent of Canada’s agricultural land is considered in drought, the majority of which is in British Columbia.

Exceptional drought conditions are based statistically on one-in-50-year climate conditions. The southern interior and southeastern B.C. received 40 per cent of normal monthly precipitation.

In addition, temperatures were three to five degrees above the monthly average, and new daily record temperatures were set at several locations throughout the southern interior.

“Poor spring and early summer precipitation, in conjunction with high temperatures and poor winter snow pack, have led to very poor soil moisture, low stream flow, water concerns and extreme wildfire conditions throughout the southern regions, increasing the drought severity,” said Hadwen, adding extreme drought conditions extend through the southwestern interior from the U.S. border to the central interior, past 100 Mile House.

The southern and central coastal regions, as well as the east-central region of the province, did get a reprieve, recording above-normal precipitation. The area, including northern Vancouver Island, received 100 to 200 per cent of normal precipitation in July, helping restore soil moisture.