Crop District 1 -Carnduff, Estevan, Redvers, Moosomin and Kipling areas;
Crop District 2 – Weyburn, Milestone, Moose Jaw, Regina and Qu’Appelle areas;
Crop District 3ASE – Radville, Minton and Lake Alma areas
For the Period August 7 to 13, 2018
With the recent hot and dry weather, crops are quickly drying down. Eight per cent of the crop is now in the bin, up from three per cent last week and well ahead of the five-year (2013-2017) average of five per cent for this time of year. Twelve per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut.
The region did not report any rainfall last week. The Lampman area maintains the record (398 mm) for the most rain in both the region and the province since April 1. Extreme temperatures and the prolonged lack of moisture in many areas have caused crops to quickly ripen; as a result, yield and quality may be affected. Any future rain will be of little benefit to crops, which are rapidly advancing. Many pastures and hay fields are in need of significant rainfall to help them recover from the hot and dry conditions.
Topsoil moisture conditions have significantly worsened since last week. Topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 14 per cent adequate, 68 per cent short and 18 per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 10 per cent adequate, 51 percent short and 39 per cent very short. All crop districts are reporting that at least 78 per cent of cropland, hay land and pasture are short to very short topsoil moisture at this time.
Reported crop yields so far range from average to well below average; however, the quality of combined crops remains good. Most crop damage this past week is attributed to lack of moisture, strong winds and hot temperatures. There have been reports of combine and stubble fires in some drier areas of the region.
Producers are busy combining, swathing canola and hauling bales.