The Rural Voice, 2001-12, Page 51Advice
Summer of 2001
driest in 54 years
By Heather Griffiths
OMAFRA, Ridgetown
This summer was more than a
little disappointing. We seemed to
start out the summer with such
promise — crops were coming up
evenly and everything looked so
good. Then the extreme heat began
and the rain stopped. Despite
receiving spring rain that seemed to
be perfectly timed for early crop
development, this spring actually
ranked in the top 10 driest springs
since 1950. Temperatures this spring
were slightly above average for most
of the province.
Way back in the winter
Environment Canada predicted that
we would have a warmer and wetter
than normal summer. Well, we got
the warmer weather but not the extra
rainfall: For the better part of June
we actually were behind normal crop
heat unit accumulations, but we more
than made up for that in July and
August. In fact we went to the other
extreme! When temperatures get
above 32 degrees Celsius then heat
unit accumulation actually starts to
decrease. A 36 -degree day with an
overnight temperature of 18 degrees
actually has the same number of heat
units as a 21 -degree day.
As for rainfall, May and June had
average to above normal rainfall for
most parts of the province. July and
the beginning of August were
exceptionally dry. The driest areas
were Gravenhurst, Trenton,
Vineland, Simcoe, London and
Harrow with some areas receiving as
little as nine per cent of the average
monthly rainfall for July.
Environment Canada has reported
that this summer was the driest in 54
years for the Great Lakes Region of
Ontario. Even though these numbers
were recorded at Environment
Canada and Ontario Weather
Network stations, much of the
rainfall received in July and August
was during thunderstorms. As a
result, rainfall tended to be spotty
and inconsistent. For example, the
London airport could have received
15mm. rainfall in one storm and
farms only a few concessions away
may have received 5mm. or none at
all.
Many people have been
wondering if these extremes in
weather, like last year's wet cool
summer and this year's hot dry
summer, are part of climate change.
Apart from this summer being
extremely dry the other aspects of
our climate are still within the range
of normal. What seems to be
happening is our climate is becoming
more variable than changing.
So what is Environment Canada
predicting for this fall and winter?
Warmer and drier than usual. How
accurate is this long-term forecast?
Well, Environment Canada boasts a
45 to 50 per cent accuracy level. So
sometimes their odds of being correct
are less than chance. With these odds
I think that we should expect the
unexpected!0
Livestock Medicines
Course put Ontario
in lead
By Ridgetown College
University of Guelph
The Livestock Medicines
Education Program has just begun its
second year of operation. Started as a
producer initiative to promote the
responsible use and safe handling of
livestock medicines, the one -day
certification program addresses
farmer, farm family, animal health,
and safety issues on-farm.
Through an improved
understanding of the proper
purchasing, handling, storage and use
of livestock medicines, producers
will be able to enhance food safety
and consumer confidence, minimize
risks to animals and humans, and
decrease costs through correct
dosage and reduced wastage. The
course and accompanying materials
are designed specifically for
producers, with practical information
that can be put to immediate use on
the farm.
A broad coalition of livestock and
poultry organizations form the
Livestock Medicines Education
Committee, which oversees the
INTERLOCKING
RUBBER MATS
for Alleyways
& Slats
No more nervous or
injured cows
Systematic 1 VITNIATIC
Construction '17"'"u
Ltd.
R.R. #3, Mildmay, Ontario
PH. (519) 367-2266
Murray Calder
Member of Parliament
Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey
9. would Me to wiah you and put
families a Meow ow eFniahruia
and a aa{e and
.7fappy New /eax.
t•c
riot.. Or <o -MO,..
Constituency Office
141 Main St. N., Box 10
Mount Forest. ON, NOG 2L0
Ph: (519) 323-9174 Fax: (519) 323-9168
DECEMBER 2001 47