The Versatile Soil Moisture Budget (VSMB) is a soil water budget model that is continuous and deterministic in nature and was developed by AAFC. It is based on the premise that the water available for plant growth is gained by precipitation or irrigation, and lost through evapotranspiration and runoff as well as lateral and deep drainage. The daily net loss or gain is added or subtracted from the water already present in the rooting zone. Water is withdrawn simultaneously, but at different rates, from different soil depths, depending on the potential evapotranspiration, the stage of crop development, the water release characteristics of each soil layer and the available water.

Difference from normal soil moisture is the modelled amount of plant available water (mm) in the root zone of the soil, minus the average amount that has historically been available on that day. This value is intended to provide users with a representation of conditions above or below normal and by the amount of water (mm). Values are computed using the Versatile Soil Moisture Budget (VSMB)

Total soil moisture is the modelled amount of plant available water (mm) in the root zone of the soil. The value given is the amount calculated to be present on the modeled day of the product. Values are computed using the Versatile Soil Moisture Budget (VSMB)

Percent of normal soil moisture is the modelled amount of plant available water (mm) in the root zone of the soil, divided by the average amount that has historically been available on that day. This value is intended to provide users with a representation of conditions above or below normal as a percentage. Values are computed using the Versatile Soil Moisture Budget (VSMB)

Hourly updated weather data and related interpretations provided by Manitoba Agriculture. Weather is one of the primary factors affecting agricultural and access to current weather information is critical to agricultural operations. High quality weather data, forecasts and risk models can reduce production risk, while increasing profitability and environmental performance of the agriculture sector. Manitoba Agriculture operates a network of over 100 weather stations across Manitoba's agricultural region which provide hourly updated air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed and direction, soil temperature, and soil moisture.  To learn more go to Manitoba Ag-Weather Program. Manitoba Agriculture makes every effort to verify that surveillance data and interpretations are accurate and current. Data is updated hourly. This application uses the Current Weather Conditions Web Map as its data source.   

Weather stations operated by Manitoba Agriculture. Manitoba Agriculture operates a network of over 100 weather stations across Manitoba's agricultural region which provide hourly updated air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed and direction, soil temperature and soil moisture. The WeatherStations feature class displays the location of the weather stations and its table contains a link to current weather for each station. Fields included: Weather Stations (StnName) Weather station name Latitude (LatDD) Latitude in decimal degrees Longitude (LongDD) Longitude in decimal degrees Elevation (m) (Elevation) Elevation in metres above sea level AgRegion Local geographic region for agriculture management in Manitoba More information (URL) Website link to information sheet on this location