Here's what The Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting for Sask. this winter, next summer

Saskatchewan and the rest of the Prairie provinces can expect a cold and snowy winter followed by a hot and dry summer next year, according to the 2024 edition of The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Managing editor Jack Burnett says predictions are formed using meteorology, climatology and solar science.

According to Burnett, the almanac is usually about 80 per cent accurate.

“So we long since put those into computer algorithms and we have a database of all weather observations from throughout Canada and the U.S. for that matter,” Burnett said.

Burnett said to make the long range forecast they look at the weather pattern by using computers and going back and looking for a close resemblance to a particular pattern in the past.

“Then we say that if it happened back then would it make sense for it to happen now?”

“The computers will then figure it out and spit out a forecast and here we are today,” Burnett said.

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Burnett said Wednesday’s forecast for Regina was made about a year and a half ago and predicted a very warm day with scattered thunderstorms.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, Regina is expecting a high of 30 degrees today with a 60 per cent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

WINTER 2023-24

Like many winters in Saskatchewan, the almanac is calling for cold temperatures and a significant amount of snowfall.

“So what we’re looking at are the coldest parts of the [meteorological] winter to be in the middle of November, last week of December into the first week of January, last week of January through to the middle of February,” Burnett said.

According to Burnett, winter temperatures will persist after February but they are not predicting any below normal cold spells throughout March and April.

(Source: The Old Farmer's Almanac 2024.)

Burnett said they are predicting heavy snowfall in the beginning of November and at the end of March.

“So it’s like a bookend type of effect, we’re looking for a big snowstorm the very first week or so of November and again the first week of March.”

SUMMER 2024

Summer 2024 will be hot and dry for central and southern Saskatchewan and warm and dry for northern Saskatchewan, according to the almanac.

“We’re hoping to get some moisture into the soil this winter and next spring to help with wildfire danger next summer,” Burnett said.

Hot and dry conditions are also being predicted for southern Alberta and Manitoba, but Burnett said overall it will be a mixed bag of conditions across the whole of Canada.

(Source: The Old Farmer's Almanac 2024.)

“It’s more of a mixed bag, with El Niño coming into play in the pacific it changes the weather patterns a little bit,” Burnett said.

The 2024 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac will be available at local book stores or Amazon.ca.