The cold snap that hit Weyburn early this week put a damper on several days of needed warmth that had aided crop development.

The warm temperatures last week and on the weekend provided excellent growing conditions across the province and good drying conditions for haying operations, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's weekly Crop Report. Crop development across the province continues to be ahead of the five-year average.

However, in southern Saskatchewan scattered hail and wind damage was reported in nearly all crop districts.

Topsoil moisture conditions on crop, hay and pasture land are rated as good to excessive in the Weyburn area.

Southern pulse and canola crops are developing ahead of the rest of the province with 31 per cent of the pulse and canola crops now podding. Five per cent of the fall cereals are ripe.

Provincially, 72 per cent of the spring cereals are at or past the heading stage, ahead of the five-year average of 54 per cent. Fifty-two per cent of the flax crop has reached the flowering stage, compared to the average of 41 per cent. Three per cent of the fall rye and winter wheat crop is ripe compared to the average of 14 per cent.

Spraying for wheat midge is now taking place in the Weyburn area as infestation and economic levels warrant, but other insect and disease pressures are present. Spraying for fusarium head blight is taking place near the Estevan area, and many producers in the south are spraying pulse crops for ascochyta infestations.

Almost 30 per cent of the southern hay crop has been baled or silaged, with up to 68 per cent being complete in some southwestern areas. Hay quality is expected to be good in the southern region, thanks to the warm, drier weather last week.

Hay yields are expected to average 1.9 tons per acre in the Weyburn crop district, higher than the average of 1.3 to 1.4 tons per acre across the southern grainbelt.

Dryland brome/alfalfa is expected to yield an average of 1.2 tons per acre, ranging from 1.0 tons per acre in the north to 1.4 tons in the southern region of the province. These yields are substantially lower than last year, but are close to the 10-year average.

In the coming week, most areas of the province would benefit from warm, dry conditions to hurry the drying of hay and to regain control over summerfallow acres.

At this time last year, wet conditions were reducing the quality of the hay crop and slowing crop development which was behind the five year average. Weather was the main cause of crop damage with flooding reported in a number of areas as well as wind and hail damage. Lodging was also reported as grain and hay crops were laid down by wind and rain.