The weather in Southern Saskatchewan changes drastically throughout the different seasons of the year. Winters were often quite cold and long. It was common to be hit with several blizzards every winter. The winters were very cold and produced drifts of snow that were usually solid and covered with ice. In the winter coal was easy to recover because it was found just below the surface of the ground. Summers were usually very dry and hot. Due to the hot, dry weather and strong winds prairie fires were common things. Saskatchewan, like the rest of the prairies, is very windy. The wind makes the winter colder and the summer dryer.