Saskatoon breaks record for driest April - Action News
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Saskatchewan

Saskatoon breaks record for driest April

This April was the driest on record for Saskatoon. The parched weather follows an incredibly dry March.

City saw only two per cent of its typical April precipitation this year

Dry conditions this month led to an early and busy start to grass fire season. (Warman Fire Rescue/Facebook)

The numbers are in, and Saskatoon saw its driest April on record.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada the airport recorded only 0.4 millimetres of precipitation from April 1 to 30, with that miniscule bit of moisture falling on the first two days of the month.

That represents only two per cent of the typical April precipitation for the area. Saskatoon has averaged nearly 23 millimetres of rain and snow through the month.

In March, Regina, Moose Jaw, Estevan, Meadow Lake, Yorkton and La Ronge all broke records with less than 10 percent of their typical March moisture.

This month Regina saw some slight recovery in moisture with 84 percent of it's usually precipitation, with 20 millimetres recorded at the airport.

In Sask., central regions saw the largest deviation from normal in terms of rain/snow amounts. (Environment and Climate Change Canada)

More moisture this summer will be critical

As we head into the summer there is fear of a potential third year of drought conditions.

David Phillips is a senior climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. He says with such persistent dry weather, there's a huge deficit of moisture in the system.

"The last two growing seasons were the driest two back-to-back on record and when we look right now there's no recovery." says Phillips.

This year we have already seen anearly and busy start to fire season. Phillips saidhe is concerned that with warmer than normal temperatures expected to start the summer, the ground could be even moredepleted of moisture.

"What we're seeing more now is what farmers absolutely shudder about. It's the back-to-back-to-back kind of droughts. They can handle one year, they can handle maybe two years in 10. They can't handle a three-peat which is what we clearly might see right now."