Editing Canadian Prairies (section)

== Main climates ==
The core [[climate]] of the Canadian prairie region is defined as a [[semi-arid climate]] and is often based upon the [[Köppen climate classification]] system.<ref name=powell>{{cite journal |last1=Powell |first1=J.M |title=Climate Classifications of the Prairie Provinces of Canada |journal=Northern Forest Research Centre |date=1978 |url=http://www.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/bookstore_pdfs/23391.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329170152/http://www.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/bookstore_pdfs/23391.pdf |archive-date=March 29, 2019}}</ref> This type of classification encompasses five main climate types, with several categoric subtypes based on the precipitation pattern of the region.<ref>{{cite web |title=Köppen climate classification |url=http://hanschen.org/koppen/#classification |website=hanschen.org|date=13 January 2024 }}</ref> The majority of the prairie provinces experience snowy, fully humid [[continental climate]]s with cool summers (known as [[Köppen climate classification#Group D: Continental climates|Group D]]), and [[subarctic climate]], also known as class Dfc on the Köppen climate scale.<ref name=powell /> The southernmost regions of the prairies tend to experience fully [[humid continental climate]]s with warm summers, Dfb.<ref name=powell /> A trifling section surrounding the Alberta-Saskatchewan border has been classified as Bsk, [[Semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates|cold semi-arid climates]].<ref name=powell />

Precipitation events in the Canadian prairies are very important to study as these locations make up 80% of the country's [[Agriculture#Production|agricultural production]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Agriculture and Food {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/agriculture-and-food |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref> On average, {{cvt|454|mm|0}} of precipitation falls on the prairies each year.<ref name=mcginn5>{{cite journal |last1=McGinn |first1=Sean |title=Weather and Climate Patterns of Canada's Prairies |journal=Anthropods of Canadian Grasslands |date=2010 |volume=1 |doi=10.3752/9780968932148.ch5 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Out of the three prairie provinces, Saskatchewan obtains the least amount of precipitation annually ({{cvt|395|mm|0|disp=sqbr}}), with [[Manitoba]] receiving the most at {{cvt|486|mm|0}}. Most rainfall typically happens in the summer months such as June and July.<ref name=mcginn5 /> With the high humidity of the prairies, [[tornado]]es are likely to occur—marking central [[Saskatchewan]], [[Alberta]] and [[southern Manitoba]] as high probability areas.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cheng |first1=Vincent Y. S. |last2=Arhonditsis |first2=George B. |last3=Sills |first3=David M. L. |last4=Auld |first4=Heather |last5=Shephard |first5=Mark W. |last6=Gough |first6=William A. |last7=Klaassen |first7=Joan |s2cid=3545698 |title=Probability of Tornado Occurrence across Canada |journal=Journal of Climate |date=19 July 2013 |volume=26 |issue=23 |pages=9415–9428 |doi=10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00093.1 |issn=0894-8755|bibcode=2013JCli...26.9415C |doi-access=free }}</ref> Approximately 72% of tornadoes in Canada are seen across the prairies<ref>{{cite web |last1=Durage |first1=Samantha |last2=Wirasinghe |first2=S.C |last3=Ruwanpura |first3=Janaka |title=Mitigation of the impact of tornadoes in the Canadian Prairies |url=https://www.crhnet.ca/sites/default/files/library/Samanthi%20-%20CRHNet%202015%20Symposium.pdf |website=Canadian Risk and Hazards Network |publisher=University of Calgary}}</ref> due to the capability of summer thunderstorm precipitation to mechanically mix with the air adjacent to the relatively flat surface of the region.<ref name=mcginn5 />

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:75%; font-size:100%;"
|+Average climates for selected cities in the Canadian Prairies (Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020)
|-
!City
!Province
!July
!January
!Annual precipitation
!Plant [[hardiness zone]]<br>(1981-2010)<ref name="Canada's Plant Hardiness">{{cite web|title=Canada's Plant Hardiness|url=http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=22&lang=en&prov=Alberta&val=A|website=Canada's Plant Hardiness|publisher=Natural Resources Canada|access-date=5 January 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305181823/http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=22&lang=en&prov=Alberta&val=A|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref>
!Average growing season<br />(in days) {{notelist|Based on averages from Environment and Climate Change Canada 1981-2010 data}}

|-
| [[Lethbridge]]<ref name="ccnlethbridge">{{cite web | url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=AB&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=294000000&dispBack=0 | title = Lethbridge  | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020 | publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] | access-date = 11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Alberta|AB]] ||align=center| {{cvt|26| / |11|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|0| / |-12|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|373|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|4b ||align=center|118

|-
| [[Calgary]]<ref name="ccncalgary">{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=AB&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=273000000&dispBack=0 |title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data Calgary International Airport |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center|[[Alberta|AB]] ||align=center| {{cvt|24| / |10|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-2| / |-14|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|445|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|4a ||align=center|119

|-
| [[Medicine Hat]]<ref name="ccnmedicine">{{cite web|url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnName_1991&txtStationName_1991=MEDICINE+HAT&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=296000000&dispBack=1 |title=Medicine Hat |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 Medicine Hat |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Alberta|AB]] ||align=center| {{cvt|28| / |13|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-3| / |-14|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|331|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|4b ||align=center|135

|-
| [[Edmonton]]<ref name="ccnedmonton">{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=AB&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=452000000&dispBack=0 |title=Edmonton (City) |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref>  ||align=center| [[Alberta|AB]] ||align=center|  {{cvt|24| / |13|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-6| / |-15|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|423|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|4a ||align=center|141

|-
| [[Grande Prairie]]<ref name="ccngrande">{{cite web | url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=AB&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=290000000&dispBack=0 | title = Grande Prairie |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Alberta|AB]] ||align=center| {{cvt|23| / |10|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-8| / |-19|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|435|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|3b ||align=center|111

|-
| [[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]]<ref name="ccnregina">{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnName_1991&txtStationName_1991=Regina&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=262000000&dispBack=1 |title=Regina (Airport) |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Saskatchewan|SK]] ||align=center| {{cvt|26| / |12|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-9| / |-20|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|390|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|3b ||align=center|114

|-
| [[Saskatoon]]<ref name="ccnsaskatoon">{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=SK&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=265000000&dispBack=0 |title=Saskatoon Diefenbaker (Airport) |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Saskatchewan|SK]] ||align=center| {{cvt|25| / |12|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-10| / |-21|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|357|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|3b ||align=center|117

|-
| [[Prince Albert, Saskatchewan|Prince Albert]]<ref name="ccnprince">{{cite web|url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnName_1991&txtStationName_1991=prince+albert&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=261000000&dispBack=1 |title=Prince Albert |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Saskatchewan|SK]] ||align=center| {{cvt|24| / |12|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-12| / |-23|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|432|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|3a ||align=center|113

|-
| [[Brandon, Manitoba|Brandon]]<ref name="ccnbrandon">{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnName_1991&txtStationName_1991=Brandon&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=219000000&dispBack=1 |title=Brandon |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Manitoba|MB]] ||align=center| {{cvt|25| / |12|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-11| / |-22|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|489|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|3b ||align=center|122

|-
| [[Winnipeg]]<ref name="ccnwinnipeg">{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=MB&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=242000000&dispBack=0 |title=Winnipeg Richardson (Airport) |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991−2020 |publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=11 March 2025 |date = 1 October 2024}}</ref> ||align=center| [[Manitoba|MB]] ||align=center| {{cvt|26| / |13|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|-11| / |-21|C|disp=br()}} ||align=center| {{cvt|519|mm|0|disp=br()}} ||align=center|4a ||align=center|122
|}