A dryer than average spring time is expected in Saskatchewan, leaving meteorologists concerned about drought.

Accuweather Meteorologist Brett Anderson says many areas of the province, including Saskatoon will have slightly dryer than normal conditions, while the extreme southern parts could be closer to normal in terms of rainfall. Anderson says looking back at the winter it’s been very dry. He doesn’t see any indication that things will get stormy, stating that B.C storms are being blocked and dried out by the rocky mountains.

Anderson explains if this forecast does pan out, there could be trouble drought wise, as spring is a good tell-tale sign of what the summer months will be like. He says the current pattern is not indicating the deficits of moisture will be made up for, which could lead to severe or extreme drought in at least the southern half of the province.

Anderson says after a cold February winter like conditions are expected to last until at least the first half of March. He thinks March may end up being a little colder than normal but April and May will trend back to normal temperatures in the province.

Anderson suggests if things continue to stay dry, which is expected, there could be some early season heat in May.
With moisture levels low, Anderson says the risk of severe flooding is low during the spring time. Anderson adds that can change with changes to the forecast, and while there is no indication of flooding currently a better picture will be seen later in March or early April.

According to The Weather Network’s Spring Forecast for Saskatchewan, March will feature a dramatically warmer pattern than February with extended periods of warmer than normal temperatures, especially during the first half of the month. As we get into the heart of the spring season, we should see near normal temperatures across southern areas and across the far north, and slightly cooler than normal temperatures in between.

The well below normal snowpack across the region means a reduced risk for spring flooding. The Weather Network expects that spring will bring typical amounts of rain and snow, helping to alleviate the increasingly dry conditions. However, there is concern that drought conditions south of the border could become more widespread and impact southern parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba by the start of the growing season.