Abnormal dryness and drought improved significantly in Ontario and Quebec in December, although more precipitation is still needed after the bone-dry fall season.
The December update of the Canadian drought monitor shows more than half (58%) of the central region’s agricultural lands were being impacted by abnormal dryness or some form of drought as of the end of last month. That is down from 87% at the end of November and now close to the October reading of 58%.
“Winter precipitation to date has greatly improved short-term drought conditions including the extent of moderate and severe drought in southern Ontario and southern Quebec,” the monitor said.
As shown on the map below, moderate drought is persisting along the north shore of Lake Ontario, even expanding in December to include areas east of Toronto. The most severe drought conditions in the central region persist in the southwest around Montréal and north of La Mauricie National Park.
On the other hand, extremely high precipitation (more than 100 mm) was received around Georgian Bay and Lake Erie in December. As a result, abnormal dryness, along with moderate to severe drought areas, were reduced or removed in those areas.
After an unusually wet summer, the weather in large parts of southern Ontario and southern Quebec turned sharply drier in September and particularly dry in October. November trended drier than normal as well.
