Despite recent snow days, this has been a particularly snow-less winter for this end of the province.
Environment Canada has tracked average weather patterns over the last 30 years and Ian Hubbard says January has only had 62 per cent of the normal amount.
December was even lower, only 25 per cent.
But Hubbard says a lack of snow doesn’t mean a lack of precipitation.
“The total amount of precipitation for the month of January, we are pretty much bang on with that,” he says.
“So that would include snow and rain. In terms of that, we are at normal for all types of precipitation.”
Hubbard says that’s important because precipitation will make its way into the ground.
Meanwhile,
Jennifer Haverstock with Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. says a lack of snowfall doesn’t play a huge role in crops across the province.
Farmers tend to select perennial crop varieties that are hardy enough to sustain winter temperatures.
And she says there isn’t much they would be able to do until springtime anyway.
“Really, that’s when we will be able to assess if there has been any damage or anything they need to do in the growing season.”
Haverstock says farmers do take precautions, such as covering strawberry crops with straw to protect them from all temperatures.
