Heavy snowfall should help replenish soil following drought in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Power’s grid scale battery facility in Bridgewater, N.S., is pictured. (Source: Nova Scotia Power)

As winter rages on, meteorologist Jim Abraham sees an upside that could help farmers recover from last summer’s record setting drought conditions in Nova Scotia.

“The good news is we are getting a snowpack,” said Abraham, who expects a lot more snow in the coming days and weeks. “Atlantic Canada is going to stay in the storm track in the short term.”

Vegetable farmer Allan Melvin said heavy snowfall can be restorative and give crops a better chance at growing later this year.

“It brings some soil protection and some crop protection for things like winter wheat that are in the ground,” said Melvin, who added the damage caused last year will likely have a negative impact on this year’s growing season. “The drought of 2025 is certainly going to impact things like blueberries and apples and how they yield, and for us we will plant seeds in the spring and go forward from there.”

As the weather warms in late winter and early spring, the dry soil could be replenished by early summer.

“The snow is actually more important to farmers, wells and water resources than heavy rain,” said Abraham, who also point out that when snow melts and runs off slowly, it goes directly into the soil. “And the groundwater amounts then increase, and everybody’s happy.”

Including Jordan Eyamie, who manages a 400-acre farm in Nova Scotia and lost 30 per cent of bean crops in 2025 because of drought conditions.

“If there is a slow snow melt, hopefully that will replenish the water table and help out some of those wells and ponds,” said Eyamie. “That has been on my mind this past winter, and it happens at a time when all of us are trying to be best prepared.”

Both Melvin and Eyamie said, the heavy snowfall all adds up to what could be much-needed good news for nervous farmers who are still reeling from their losses and crop damages following a dangerously dry summer.