Regina was significantly colder than usual throughout March and had over double the normal amount of snowfall.
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At the beginning of the month, two snow storms hit the city, dumping over 30 centimetres of snowfall. Then March ended with temperatures 15 degrees below seasonal, with wind chill values into the minus thirties.
The cold is nothing new for Reginans. This past winter, temperatures dipped below -30 C fifteen-times.
However, the city didn’t have to deal with much snow throughout the winter months. Only 56 per cent of the normal snowfall was recorded in Regina.
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Last year was the second driest year ever recorded in Regina with 61 per cent less moisture than normal.The moisture deficit extended into the new year and extreme drought conditions lasted throughout December, January and February.
Below normal precipitation and lingering soil moisture deficits caused severe drought and extreme drought conditions to continue across southern Saskatchewan throughout February.
Canadian Drought Monitor/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
However, conditions improved after a surge in moisture throughout March. The city had over fifty millimetres of precipitation throughout the month of March, which will help boost soil moisture and improve drought conditions in and around the city.According to the Water Security Agency (WSA), spring runoff is expected to be near normal or above normal in much of Saskatchewan.