Water Supply Outlook for Alberta
August 2008
July 2008 Precipitation |
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Much of the plains areas of Alberta recorded below normal to normal precipitation however,
above to much above normal precipitation was recorded in the northwestern corner of the province, in the Cold Lake
area, and in the Oyen-Brooks-Lethbridge-Medicine Hat area. Much below normal prcipitation was recorded
in the northeastern corner of the province and in much of northwestern Alberta, as well as in some east central plains areas.
The mountains and foothills of the province generally recorded
below normal to normal precipitation with the exception of the mountains and foothills north of Jasper which
recorded much below precipitation
(Figure 1).
July precipitation totals are illustrated in Figure 2.
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Summer Precipitation (May 1, 2008 to July 31, 2008) |
Southern Alberta recorded above to much above normal precipitation with the exception of the Cypress Hills area south of Medicine Hat, which recorded normal precipitation. The mountains and foothills of Alberta recorded above to much above normal precipitation except for an area between Banff and Jasper, which recorded below normal to normal precipitation. Precipitation in central and northern Alberta varied between much below normal and normal, except in the northwestern corner of Alberta, which recorded above to much above normal precipitation (Figure 3). Summer precipitation totals are illustrated in Figure 4. |
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Winter Precipitation (November 1, 2007 to April 30, 2008) |
| Most of the province recorded below normal to normal precipitation, with the exceptions of the Cold Lake-Lloydminster and Cypress Hills areas, which recorded above normal precipitation, and most southern and central plains areas, which recorded much below normal precipitation. The mountain and foothills of the province generally recorded below normal to normal precipitation (Figure 5). Winter precipitation totals are illustrated in Figure 6. |
Fall Precipitation (September 1 to October 31, 2007) |
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Below to much below normal precipitation was recorded in most of the province
(Figure 7).
Above to much above normal precipitation was recorded in many mountain and foothill
locations of the Banff-Pincher Creek area, in the Milk River-Cypress Hills area, and in
the far north of the province that includes areas north of High Level and the
Fort Chipewyan area. Some areas of the Upper Smoky and Athabasca River basins
recorded normal to above normal precipitation. Fall precipitation totals are illustrated
in Figure 8.
A map of fall plains soil moisture in the province as estimated by Alberta Agriculture can be seen
here .
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Long-Lead Precipitation Outlook |
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Environment Canada's long-lead forecast for Alberta issued on August 1, 2008
for the August through October 2008 period is for normal precipitation for northern and eastern Alberta
and below normal precipitation for the remaining western portion of the province.
Canada's long-lead precipitation outlook is available from their website located at:
http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/saisons/index_e.html.
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For technical enquires about this web page please contact Alberta Environment - Environmental Management Water Management Operations Branch at AENV-WebWS@gov.ab.ca
