What should be the busiest time of year for southern Alberta farmers has instead turned into a battle with Mother Nature as heavy rain in September brings harvest to a halt. “It has been a struggle for most of harvest already,” said Sean Stanford, who farms near Magrath. “On an average year versus this year, we’re behind about two to three weeks for sure, I would say.” Just 15 days into the month, Lethbridge has received nearly triple its usual precipitation for all of September. “There’s been 72 millimetres of rainfall in Lethbridge so far in September,” said Chloe Katsademas, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. “The climatological normal for the month of September is about 32.4 millimetres, so we’ve already surpassed that.” Late-season rains around the Labour Day long weekend have put a damper on harvest operations. Stanford says leaving crops like wheat and grain in the ground too long with excessive moisture will decrease their quality. “When we get inches of rain or multiple millimetres, it can wash the colour out of the grain, the seeds and they can start to sprout if there’s too much rain,” he said. The heavy rainfall was caused by a system that brought significant rainfall across southern Alberta from Sept. 5 to 8. “We’re not looking at a rainfall record for September, but it is definitely a lot of rainfall—more than normal,” said Katsademas. The growing season has been a challenge for producers across the region, Stanford says. Heavy rain in the spring delayed seeding, which was immediately followed by two months of hot, dry weather throughout July and August. “We’re definitely on track for an average year, but the quality has definitely taken a hit with these last few rains we’ve had,” explained Stanford. There is hope on the horizon, according to Katsademas. While more rain is forecasted for Monday night, she says that should be the end of precipitation for the foreseeable future. “We’re expecting some clearing and temperatures to rebound later in the week, with temperatures maybe up to the mid- or high 20s into the weekend,” she said.
