Editing Saskatchewan (section)

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Saskatchewan}}
{{See also|List of regions of Saskatchewan}}
[[File:Saskatchewan Topographic.png|thumb|A topographic map of Saskatchewan, showing cities, towns, rural municipality borders, and natural features.]]
Saskatchewan is the only province without a [[natural border]]. As its borders follow geographic lines of [[longitude]] and [[latitude]], the province is roughly a [[quadrilateral]], or a shape with four sides. However, the southern border on the [[49th parallel north|49th parallel]] and the northern border on the [[60th parallel north|60th parallel]] curve to the left as one proceeds east, as do all parallels in the Northern Hemisphere. Additionally, the eastern boundary of the province follows range lines and [[correction line]]s of the [[Dominion Land Survey]], laid out by surveyors prior to the ''[[Dominion Lands Act]]'' [[Homestead principle|homestead]] program (1880–1928).

Saskatchewan is a part of the western provinces and is bounded on the west by [[Alberta]], on the north by the [[Northwest Territories]], on the north-east by [[Nunavut]], on the east by [[Manitoba]], and on the south by the [[U.S. state]]s of [[Montana]] and [[North Dakota]]. Saskatchewan has the distinction of being the only Canadian province for which no borders correspond to physical geographic features (i.e. they are all parallels and meridians). Along with Alberta, Saskatchewan is one of only two [[land-locked]] provinces.

The overwhelming majority of Saskatchewan's population is in the southern third of the province, south of the [[53rd parallel north|53rd parallel]].

Saskatchewan contains two major natural regions: the [[Boreal Forest of Canada|boreal forest]] in the north and the [[prairie]]s in the south. They are separated by an [[aspen parkland]] transition zone near the [[North Saskatchewan River]] on the western side of the province, and near to south of the [[Saskatchewan River]] on the eastern side. Northern Saskatchewan is mostly covered by forest except for the [[Lake Athabasca Sand Dunes]], the largest active sand dunes in the world north of 58°, and adjacent to the southern shore of [[Lake Athabasca]]. Southern Saskatchewan contains another area with sand dunes known as the "Great Sand Hills" covering over {{cvt|300|km2}}. The [[Cypress Hills (Canada)|Cypress Hills]], in the southwestern corner of Saskatchewan and Killdeer Badlands ([[Grasslands National Park]]), are areas of the province that were unglaciated during the last glaciation period, the [[Wisconsin glaciation]].

The province's highest point, at {{cvt|1392|m}}, is in the [[Cypress Hills (Canada)|Cypress Hills]] less than {{cvt|2|km}} from the provincial boundary with Alberta.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saskatchewan High Point |url=http://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6140 |website=peakbagger |publisher=Peakbagger.com |access-date=August 17, 2014 |archive-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610084752/https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6140 |url-status=live }}</ref> The lowest point is the shore of [[Lake Athabasca]], at {{cvt|213|m}}. The province has 14 major [[drainage basin]]s made up of various rivers and watersheds draining into the [[Arctic Ocean]], [[Hudson Bay]] and the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080315170748/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/hydrology.html Hydrology] from The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan</ref>

=== Climate ===
[[File:Saskatchewan Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of Saskatchewan]]
Saskatchewan receives more hours of [[sunshine]] than any other Canadian province.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Climate Data |url=http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/provincedata_categories_e.html?SelectedCategory=40 |website=climate.weather.gc |publisher=Environment Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119055015/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/provincedata_categories_e.html?SelectedCategory=40 |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |access-date=July 17, 2011 }}</ref> The province lies far from any significant body of water. This fact, combined with its northerly latitude, gives it a warm summer, corresponding to its [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen type ''Dfb'']]) in the central and most of the eastern parts of the province, as well as the [[Cypress Hills (Canada)|Cypress Hills]]; drying off to a [[semi-arid]] steppe climate (Köppen type ''BSk'') in the southwestern part of the province. Drought can affect agricultural areas during long periods with little or no precipitation at all. The northern parts of Saskatchewan – from about [[La Ronge]] northward – have a [[subarctic climate]] (Köppen ''Dfc'') with a shorter summer season. Summers can get very hot, sometimes above {{cvt|38|C}} during the day, and with humidity decreasing from northeast to southwest. Warm southern winds blow from the plains and intermontane regions of the Western United States during much of July and August, very cool or hot but changeable air masses often occur during spring and in September. Winters are usually bitterly cold, with frequent Arctic air descending from the north,<ref>{{cite web |title=2008/12/23, Four PM |url=http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2009/02/06/2008-12-23 |last=Bray |first=Tim |date=December 23, 2008 |website=tbray |access-date=February 28, 2008 |quote=English just doesn't have words to describe cold of that intensity. I was appropriately dressed but am still a mild-climate West Coast Wimp, and the cold hurt me wherever it touched me; and it tried really hard to find chinks in my clothing's {{sic|armor}} to penetrate and hurt. |archive-date=March 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303003331/https://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2009/02/06/2008-12-23 |url-status=live }}</ref> and with high temperatures not breaking {{cvt|-17|C}} for weeks at a time. Warm [[chinook winds]] often blow from the west, bringing periods of mild weather. Annual precipitation averages 30 to 45 centimetres (12 to 18&nbsp;inches) across the province, with the bulk of rain falling in June, July, and August.<ref>{{cite web |title=Average Weather for Saskatoon, SK – Temperature and Precipitation |url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/CAXX0442?from=search |date=July 29, 2010 |website=Weather |publisher=Weather.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014184756/http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/CAXX0442?from=search |archive-date=October 14, 2007 |access-date=February 23, 2011 }}</ref>

Saskatchewan is one of the most [[tornado]]-active parts of [[Canada]], averaging roughly 12 to 18 tornadoes per year, some violent. In 2012, 33 tornadoes were reported in the province. The [[Regina Cyclone]] took place in June 1912 when 28 people died in an F4 [[Fujita scale]] tornado. Severe and non-severe thunderstorm events occur in Saskatchewan, usually from early spring to late summer. Hail, strong winds and isolated tornadoes are a common occurrence.

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Saskatchewan was in July 1937 when the temperature rose to {{cvt|45|C}} in [[Midale]] and [[Yellow Grass]]. The coldest ever recorded in the province was {{cvt|−56.7|C}} in [[Prince Albert, Saskatchewan|Prince Albert]], north of Saskatoon, in February 1893.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em auto; width:60%;"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Saskatchewan<ref name="Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1971-2000">{{cite web |title=National Climate Data and Information Archive |url=http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/Welcome_e.html |website=climate.weatheroffice.gc |publisher=Environment Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211013802/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/Welcome_e.html |archive-date=December 11, 2009 |access-date=September 2, 2010 }}</ref>
|-
!City
!Average maximum in July
!Average minimum in July
!Average maximum in January
!Average minimum in January
|-
|[[Maple Creek, Saskatchewan|Maple Creek]] || {{cvt|27|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-5|C}} || {{cvt|-16|C}}
|-
|[[Estevan]] || {{cvt|27|C}} || {{cvt|13|C}} || {{cvt|-9|C}} || {{cvt|-20|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Weyburn]] || {{cvt|26|C}} || {{cvt|12|C}} || {{cvt|-10|C}} || {{cvt|-21|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Moose Jaw]] || {{cvt|26|C}} || {{cvt|12|C}} || {{cvt|-8|C}} || {{cvt|-19|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]] || {{cvt|26|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-10|C}} || {{cvt|-22|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Saskatoon]] || {{cvt|25|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-12|C}} || {{cvt|-22|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Melville, Saskatchewan|Melville]] || {{cvt|25|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-12|C}} || {{cvt|-22|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Swift Current]] || {{cvt|25|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-7|C}} || {{cvt|-17|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Humboldt, Saskatchewan|Humboldt]] || {{cvt|24|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-12|C}} || {{cvt|-23|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Melfort, Saskatchewan|Melfort]] || {{cvt|24|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-14|C}} || {{cvt|-23|C}}
|-
|-
|[[North Battleford]] || {{cvt|24|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-12|C}} || {{cvt|-22|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Yorkton]] || {{cvt|24|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-13|C}} || {{cvt|-23|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Lloydminster]] || {{cvt|23|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-10|C}} || {{cvt|-19|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Prince Albert, Saskatchewan|Prince Albert]] || {{cvt|24|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-13|C}} || {{cvt|-25|C}}
|-
|-
|[[Uranium City]] || {{cvt|21|C}} || {{cvt|11|C}} || {{cvt|-22|C}} || {{cvt|-32|C}}
|-
|-
|}

==== Climate change ====
{{Main|Climate change in Saskatchewan}}
The effects of [[climate change in Saskatchewan]] are now being observed in parts of the province. Evidence of reduction of [[biomass (ecology)|biomass]] in Saskatchewan's [[boreal forests]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ma |first1=Zhihai |last2=Peng |first2=Changhui |last3=Zhu |first3=Qiuan |last4=Chen |first4=Huai |last5=Yu |first5=Guirui |last6=Li |first6=Weizhong |last7=Zhou |first7=Xiaolu |last8=Wang |first8=Weifeng |last9=Zhang |first9=Wenhua |title=Regional drought-induced reduction in the biomass carbon sink of Canada's boreal forests |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |date=2012 |volume=109 |issue=7 |pages=2423–2427 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1111576109 |pmid=22308340 |pmc=3289349 |bibcode=2012PNAS..109.2423M |doi-access=free }}</ref> (as with those of other [[Prairie provinces|Canadian prairie provinces]]) is linked by researchers to drought-related water stress, stemming from [[global warming]], most likely caused by [[greenhouse gas emissions]]. While studies as early as 1988 (Williams, et al., 1988) have shown climate change will affect agriculture,<ref>Williams, G.D.V., R.A. Fautley, K.H. Jones, R.B. Stewart, and E.E. Wheaton. 1988. "Estimating Effects of Climatic Change on Agriculture in Saskatchewan, Canada." p. 219–379. In M.L. Parry et al. (ed.) ''The Impact of Climatic Variations on Agriculture''. Vol. 1 Assessment in Cool Temperate and Cold Regions. Reidel Publ. Co. Dordrecht.</ref> whether the effects can be mitigated through adaptations of [[cultivars]], or crops, is less clear. [[Resilience (ecology)|Resiliency]] of [[ecosystem]]s may decline with large changes in temperature.<ref>Riebsame. W.E. (1991). [https://www.colorado.edu/geography/class.../geog.../Travis_GP_sust.pdf "Sustainability of the Great Plains in an Uncertain Climate."]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Great Plains Research'' Vol.1 No.1, University of Nebraska</ref> The provincial government has responded to the threat of climate change by introducing a plan to reduce [[Greenhouse gas|carbon emissions]], "The Saskatchewan Energy and Climate Change Plan", in June 2007.