Prairie drought worst weather story of 2002

The extreme drought on the Prairies has topped Environment Canada's list of strange weather events for 2002.

"Farmers could not have feared worse weather than what appeared on the Prairies," said David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada.

• INDEPTH: Drought of 2002

Such a devastating drought hasn't been seen since the dust bowls of the Dirty '30s. The scorching temperatures and grasshoppers destroyed the livelihood of farmers like Dean Sawatzky of Aberdeen, Sask.

"I don't think this country can stand another year like this," said Sawatzky.

The warm winter in the east was the runner-up on Phillips' top 10 list, which is based on media reports and how much the weather affects Canadians.

"For half the people of Canada, from Windsor to Quebec City, it was the warmest on record," said Phillips. "It was the kind of weather that occurs once every 200 years."

• FROM JULY 7, 2002: Quebec fires out of control, but haze clearing in Ontario

Last year's warm spell meant a green Christmas and not much skating on the world's largest skating rink, the Rideau Canal.

Phillips said southern Ontario also ended up with 26 smog days this summer, a record surpassing the one set last summer.

But there were some cold places, too. During the May long weekend in Calgary, people went skiing instead of camping.

• FROM JUNE 11, 2002: Heavy rains flood homes, roads in southern Alberta

Alberta's strange weather lasted into the summer. For three days starting June 6, southern Alberta received almost a year's worth of rain.

But British Columbia received less rainfall than normal, and Christmas in the province looked more like early fall.

• FROM SEPT. 12, 2002: Hurricane Gustav drenches East Coast

Hurricanes battered the East Coast, and Quebec experienced its worst forest fires in 10 years.

The combination has experts puzzled. Phillips said they are struggling to see if the wacky extremes show a change in the country's climate pattern.

• FROM DEC. 26, 2002: Quebec may see icy weather in 2003: Environment Canada

Phillips said this winter will be warmer than usual, thanks to El Nio. He's also expecting more rain on the Prairies next spring.