Warm, humid weather is providing good growing conditions for crops---but it also increases the chance of severe storms.

Portions of west-central Saskatchewan received heavy rain and hail damage early Thursday morning.

Lynn Foster is from Ruthilda, about 130 kilometres west of Saskatoon.

"The crops are all flat. It looks like stubble right now. One of the neighbors measured a hail stone and it was two-and-a-half inches across."

There were severe storms over east-central Saskatchewan on Wednesday. Environment Canada reported three tornadoes---two in the Wadena area and the other in the vicinity of the Quill Lake First Nation.

A bad storm can cost farmers a lot of money, especially with rising grain and oilseed prices.

"It is pretty frustrating if you are dealing with hail or severe storms when you get the crop this far," says Grant McLean, a crops specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture.

The weekly crop report indicates the majority of crops are in good to excellent condition.

19 per cent of canola is rated excellent, 55 per cent good, 20 per cent fair and 5 per cent poor on a provincial basis. The largest portion of fair to poor canola is located in northeast and east-central regions which have received excessive moisture.

65 per cent of hay has been cut and 42 percent baled or made into silage. Most yields are above average--but lower than last year.

The estimated average hay yields on dry land are 1.4 tons per acre for alfalfa and wild hay, 1.6 tons per acres for alfalfa/brome and 1.9 tons for greenfeed.

On irrigated land, the estimated hay yields are 2.1 tons per acre for alfalfa, 2.3 tons for alfalfa/brome and 2.6 tons for greenfeed.

You can see the full Saskatchewan Agriculture crop report at http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crprpt120719