Manitoba has been under extreme drought conditions for several months now, causing issues for farmers around the province. Earlier in the month, the province released a new report stating that soil moisture levels across most of Manitoba were below average at the time of freeze up. However, earlier this week southern Manitoba was hit with a snowstorm, which could potentially help soil moisture next year depending on how things melt. According to Natalie Hasell, a warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECC), the snow will not affect soil moisture until the spring. “Right now the ground is frozen. It cannot absorb anything,” she said. “But the more snow it gets piled up on it that will be a really good addition of moisture into the soil depending on the timing of things.” Hasell explained the best scenario is a slow thaw, allowing the ground to become unfrozen in time to accept anything melting on the surface. The worst scenario would be a quick thaw, where the snow melts, but the ground remains frozen. She said it’s a good sign that we’ve already got some precipitation, “but whether it will make a difference will really depend on the timing of things in the spring.” Hasell said ECCC’s seasonal forecast issued at the end of November shows a slight signal for above-normal precipitation amounts in the Prairies over the next few months. However, she said she doesn’t know what to expect. “There is a suggestion areas in central Manitoba could see above normal amounts of snow,” she said, noting that we will have to wait and see. THE SNOWSTORM Manitoba experienced a snowstorm early in the week, which Hasell explained was caused by a low-pressure system in the area. She added that the system had frontal structures associated with it. “Areas of low pressure are typically associated with cloud production and precipitation,” she said. “Areas of high pressure, like what we’re under right now, typically we’re looking at subsidence air leading to clearer skies and sometimes lighter winds.” Hasell said most of southern Manitoba received between 15 and 20 centimetres of snow over the span of the storm, with Winnipeg receiving a total of 20 centimetres of snow. She noted that Winnipeg also received snow earlier in the month, bringing it to a total of 34.4 centimetres of snow between Dec. 1 and 27. “That’s really good news considering what conditions we were in before that.” - With files from CTV’s Mason DePatie.
