Despite a short pause caused by some rain last week, harvest operations continue to move along ahead of schedule.

Twenty-seven percent of the crops are now in the bin across Saskatchewan, well ahead of the five-year average of 13 per cent.

Allie Noble, crops extension specialist for the Ministry of Agriculture, says while many parts of the province did get some rain, soil moisture conditions remain very dry, especially in the southwest.

"I think with this rain it was just enough to settle the dust, help lower our fires a little in the field and put a pause on harvest for a few days, but to really improve those improve those topsoil moisture conditions in the southwest they'll need some significant rain and moisture in the future."

Noble also said crop yields have been variable throughout the province depending on moisture conditions citing farmers in the southwest being almost halfway done, a stark contrast to the rest of the province.

"The southwest just has the right temperatures to get harvest done quickly, so in the southwest area approximately 46% of the crop is in the bin which is up from 31 per cent last week and well above the five year average of 24 per cent for this time of year."