As varying levels of drought conditions persist on the prairies, southeast Saskatchewan and southwest Manitoba have it the driest.

Seeding has been progressing at a fast pace around Estevan, and a number of fire bans in effect for nearby Rural Municipalities.

Dry conditions have spanned several seasons since a moist fall of 2019.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Justin Shaer said the region is receiving well-below-normal rainfall totals.

"We're currently at less than 40 per cent of the average precipitation that the southeast actually sees for this time of year. It's pretty dry out there, as everyone knows. And in the short term, there's not much rain coming."

Drought conditions as of April 30 per the Canadian Drought Monitor (map from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

 

Shaer said there is a small chance of some precipitation tomorrow night.

"There might be the briefest of respites overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning as an impulse kind of tracks across Montana and North Dakota. It might bring a bit of precipitation, but it doesn't look like a significant amount of precipitation to correct the current drought conditions."

He added that the dry, sunny weather is due to a high-pressure system. When that recedes into the Great Lakes area, the impulse tracking along the 49th parallel could bring that small shot of rain for Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

Several RMs around the southeast are under fire bans, including RM of Argyle #1, RM of Tecumseh #65, RM of Griffin #66, RM of Souris Valley #7, and RM of Lomond #37.

You can find an updated (Monday to Friday) map of fire bans for Saskatchewan HERE.