Abstract
A computer-based system to provide early warning in Western Canada, where the beef industry is particularly sensitive to drought, has been in operation since 1982. Nicknamed FoDEWS, for Forage Drought Early Warning System, the system uses a combination of current year’s weather data and historical weather data for late winter or early spring to project likely moisture reserves by late spring. The earliest predictions are made while the land is still snow-covered.By analyzing current weather records from drought-prone areas, more objective decisions can be made about who drought victims are, who the likely victims will be in future and where the need for assistance will arise. If needed, assistance can be given to beef producers more quickly and equitably. Also, the information will help producers find alternate sources of fodder earlier.The main component of FoDEWS is a computer model that calculates soil moisture from daily weather records. The model budgets rainwater, snowmelt and potential evapotranspi...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
