Moisture Update - October 30, 2025

By Saddle Hills County - November 13, 2025

Precipitation

Maps 1, 2 & 3: Since the last report, at the beginning of October, there were several precipitation events across Alberta’s agricultural regions (Map 1), and most of the province received their first snowfall of the year in October, which has since melted off.

The most significant precipitation fell across parts of the Peace, North West, and North East Regions. Between 25 to 70 mm of precipitation fell in isolated areas, which is close to double the normal precipitation for the month of October (Maps 2 and 3). This brought much needed moisture to the area, and will help replenish long-standing precipitation deficits and soil moisture reserves.
Some areas within the counties of Saddle Hills, Grand Prairie, Spirit River, Birch Hills, Smoky River, Greenview, Clear Hills, Northern Lights, and Northern Sunrise received 25 to 40 mm of precipitation.

This amount of precipitation is normal to moderately higher than normal (Map 3), which is beneficial to the area, as it received less moisture than usual through the 2025 growing season. Several areas across the central and northern Peace Region received less than 25 mm of precipitation, amounts much closer to normal or moderately lower than normal for this time of the year (Maps 1 and 3).

Rainfall across the North West and North East Regions ranged from 10 to 70 mm (Map 1). The highest rainfall fell across the Northern portion of these regions, through the municipalities of Greenview, Big Lakes Lesser Slave Lake, Athabasca, and Lac La Biche County, decreasing to the south and east. These regions received near normal October precipitation, with a few areas receiving moderately high to very high precipitation relative to long term normal (Map 3). This is beneficial for soil moisture recharge in these areas, as they received less moisture than usual through the 2025 growing season.

Less than 15 mm fell across most the Central Region, which was near normal for the eastern portion of the region but moderately to very low for the western portions along Highway 2 (Map 1, 2, and 3). Parts of the municipalities of Ponoka, Lacombe, Red Deer, Mountain View, Kneehill, and Rocky View received the lowest rainfall, at less than 5 mm, which is low to very low relative to long term normal.

The South Region was very similar to the Central, with much of the region receiving less than 20 mm through October, which is quite typical for the area (Maps 1 and 2). Areas across the municipalities of Cypress, Forty Mile, Foothills, Ranchland, and Willow Creek received moderately low to low precipitation relative to long term normal throughout the month of October (Map 3).

Temperature

Map 4: Over the past 30-days of this report, the average daily mean temperature across Alberta, relative to long term normal, ranged from near normal to moderately warm (Map 4). Small pockets of warm temperatures relative to long term normal were scattered through the Northern parts of the province, while small pockets of moderately cool to cool were reported along the mountains.

Growing Season Trends

Maps 5 & 6: The general growing season precipitation accumulation, relative to long term normal, trend across Alberta’s agricultural regions did not change dramatically with October's precipitation (Map 5).

Growing season precipitation accumulation, relative to long term normal, in much of the South, and parts of the Central and North West Regions, remained near normal. Some areas within the counties of Rocky View, Foothills, Ranchland, Willow Creek, Wheatland, Newell, and Special Areas No. 2 and No. 3 still show moderately high growing season precipitation.

In the South Region, the areas with moderately low to low growing season precipitation increased slightly in the Counties of Forty Mile, Cypress, Warner, and Cardston (Map 5). The eastern portion of the South region has received 70% to 90% of the long-term average, with large portions of Cypress County only received 50% to 70% of average (Map 6). The western portion of the region has received 90 to 130% of the long-term average.

With the exceptions of the counties along the southern portion of the Central Region, most of the region received moderately low to very low growing season precipitation relative to long-term normal (Map 5). The boundary between near-normal and moderately low precipitation has remained largely unchanged since the previous report, stretching through Special Area No. 4, into the Counties of Paintearth, Stettler, Red Deer, Kneehill, and Mountain View, and continuing north through Clearwater, into Wetaskiwin and Brazeau, and westward into Yellowhead and the M.D. of Greenview. Most of the area north of this boundary received only 50% to 90% of their long-term average precipitation this growing season (Map 6).

Across the North East Peace and most of the North West Regions, growing season precipitation continues to range from low to driest, relative to long-term normal (Map 5). Thanks to October precipitation, some areas in these regions did improve their growing season accumulation. It is hoped that much of that moisture will go toward recharging soil moisture conditions. Most areas across these regions received less than 70% of their long-term average growing season precipitation (Map 6). Although, the zones with precipitation departures of 30% to 50% of normal did shrink within the counties of Lac La Biche, Grande Prairie, Birch Hills, Smoky River, Big Lakes, Greenview, Saddle Hills, Fairview, Peace, Northern Sunrise, Northern Lights, and Mackenzie.

Soil Moisture Reserves

Maps 7, 8 & 9: Generally speaking, soil moisture reserves continue to be lower relative to long-term normal across the province (Map 7).

Near-normal soil moisture reserves have increased in select areas, and now include parts of Yellowhead, Greenview, Brazeau, Rocky View, Foothills, Wheatland, Willow Creek, Pincher Creek, Newell, Special Areas No. 2 and No. 3, Acadia Valley, and Cypress Counties (Map 7). In these zones, plant-available water is estimated to range from 20mm to as high as 120 mm (Map 8), with moisture departures of -15 to 15 mm compared to normal (Map 9).

Generally, across the remainder of the province, estimated soil reserves are rated as moderately low to driest, once in more than 50-year lows, relative to long-term normal (Map 7). The extent of the low soil moisture conditions has expanded across the Central, North West, North East, and Peace Regions, indicating a deterioration from the previous report. In these severely affected areas, plant-available water is estimated to be less than 20 mm (Map 8), with moisture deficits ranging from 25 to 75 mm below normal (Map 9). Although some isolated areas within the Peace, North West, and North East Regions have seen an improvement in soil moisture reserves relative to long-term normal with the October precipitation (Map 7).

Perspective

Map 10: The area receiving near-normal growing season precipitation, relative to long-term averages has not changed significantly since the October 1, 2025 report. The near-normal growing season precipitation zone lies south of a line running through Special Area No. 4 and the counties of Paintearth, Stettler, Red Deer, Kneehill, and Mountain View, continuing north through Clearwater, into Wetaskiwin and Brazeau, and westward into Yellowhead County.

However, exceptions remain in portions of Cypress County, where growing season precipitation continues to be moderately low to low relative to long-term normal.

In contrast to areas south of the near-normal precipitation boundary, municipalities north of the line are experiencing moderately to extremely low growing season precipitation, relative to long-term normal.

Across Alberta the average daily mean temperature for the growing season has been warm to very warm, relative to long-term normal (Map 10).

Additional fall precipitation will be critical to begin replenishing soil moisture reserves. In many areas, surface water supplies are currently still feeling the effects of dry conditions in previous years. Wet years are vital for building deeper water supplies and these have been all but absent for many parts of the province.

Looking forward, winter (November to March) on average only accounts for about 20% of the annual moisture across the southern portions on the province and up to 35% of the average moisture across the Peace Region. Deep winter snowpacks will be needed to help bring relief to dwindling surface water supplies and ample rains in May, June, and July will be needed to sustain crops, replenish soil moisture reserves, and support strong crop growth.