A sunny week of +30 weather is a welcome site for farmers hoping for hastened crop maturity ahead of harvest.
The sunshine will aid already solid growing conditions in terms of topsoil moisture conditions. The West Central crop report for August 12-18 reported cropland at 91 per cent adequate (provincial average of 80), eight per cent short and one per cent surplus, while hayland topsoil moisture is 87 per cent adequate (provincial average 73) and 13 per cent short, and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are 85 per cent adequate (provincial average 67) and 15 per cent short.
Those numbers stayed strong even with limited rainfall. The region saw the most rainfall in the Marsden area at 34 mm, Unity at 25 mm, Perdue at 23, and then Harris and Neilburg areas each coming in at 20mm. That's in comparison to notable rainfall across the province, as leading the way was the Yorkton area with 95 mm, Swan Plain around 78 mm, the Calder area receiving a little less at 76 mm.
The weather has also been responsible for recent crop damage, heavy winds causing crop lodging and see damage. Insect damage was done by bertha armyworms, and disease through aster yellows.
View the full West Central crop report for the week HERE.