Map: Ontario Abnormal Dryness, Drought Reappears with Extreme Late June Heat

After being eliminated in May, abnormal dryness and moderate dryness reappeared in southern Ontario in June. 

According to the latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor on Thursday, both abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions emerged across parts of southern and eastern Ontario due to short-term moisture deficits and extreme heat near the end of June. A small pocket of abnormally dry conditions also developed around Montreal in southern Quebec due to short-term dryness. 

As of the end of June, 20% of the agricultural lands in the Central Region – which includes both Ontario and Quebec – were being impacted by abnormal dryness or some form of drought, up from just 1% at the end of May and 5% in April. 

In June, southern Ontario and parts of southwestern Quebec received 85 to 200% of normal precipitation, while some localized areas experienced much drier conditions of less than 60% of normal monthly precipitation.  

Temperatures were near normal across the Central Region for the month of June. However, extremely high temperatures in the last week of June contributed to rapidly developing drought conditions in parts of southern and eastern Ontario, the monitor said. 

Although Ontario corn growth has accelerated over the past couple of weeks with higher-than-average temperatures, crops in those areas that have also experienced a lack of rain are seeing some heat stress, said the July 10 crop update from the Grain Farmers of Ontario.