UPDATED: Mild May, windy June so far, says Environment Canada

UPDATE: Environment Canada’s Terry Lang says wind events, warnings and speeds have now been compiled for the first two weeks of June, and show that indeed there have been a spike in above average windy conditions in the Saskatoon, Regina, and Swift Current areas.

It’s not clear however, whether that means additional wind warnings or average overall wind speed.

A late spring, and isolated windy events may be behind the perception that spring 2020 is unusually windy in Saskatchewan. Statistics are available for the month of May, but are still being compiled for June.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Terri Lang says overall, conditions have been slightly windier in the Saskatoon area (by about 2 km/h) but about average in the Regina area.

“We had a late spring just because it was so cold, it we were delayed by a couple of weeks or so. And May is generally the windiest time. Spring is the windiest time on the prairies, so I think a lot of people are wondering – we’ve had lots of inquiries as well about it too – but the statistics just don’t bear that out.”

The caveat to that is that there may have been several isolated wind events that were much windier than normal, but that data is not compiled by Environment Canada.

“I think if we try to look at more…. have we had more gustier or stronger winds or have we had more wind speeds above a certain speed, I think those types of statistics might show indeed it was, but if we just look at average wind speeds, the statistics aren’t bearing that out.”

Also to take into consideration, Lang believes, is the timing of the windy conditions, which come just as farmers are seeding their crops, and gardeners have just begun planting things like tomatoes and peppers- which are vulnerable in windy conditions.

“Some of the stuff is already coming up and it’s being damaged, and the seed is blowing away…I think we’re used to seeing the winds earlier on in the month of May when there’s nothing out, there’s nothing planted. ”

Overall – so far – it has actually been a quieter start to the spring storm season with fewer storms than normal.

“Our severe storm season runs from about the May long weekend through to about the September long weekend, with the strongest storms in mid-June through to mid-July. We’re right in the thick of it now,” she adds.

Like some years, when there is an El Nino or La Nina event that can influence weather patterns, nothing like that is occurring this year, says Lang. That makes predicting storm season and the wind that goes along with it this year, even more difficult than normal.

“Sometimes…that helps us forecast because we know that strong El Nino events lead to hot and dry summers, and strong La Nina events lead to a wet and cool summer,” explains Lang. “But right now there’s an absence of that.”

Those are called “La Nada” conditions and there’s really nothing for meteorologists to hang their hats on.

“We know that every summer there’s severe weather on the prairies… we know it just sweeps across the prairies and it’s simply the luck of the draw.”