Winter Warmest Ever on Record in Canada

[fatesown]

From the AP, via Yahoo News, link at bottom of page. This bothers me due to the implication of more melting permafrost, and how that will affect the wildlife/natural habitat of a whole LOT of acreage...

TORONTO - The winter of 2005-2006 has been Canada's warmest on record and the federal agency Environment Canada said Monday it was investigating whether it's a sign of global warming.

Between December and February, the country was 3.9 degrees above normal — the warmest winter season since temperatures were first recorded in 1948. Environment Canada climatologist Bob Whitewood said it smashed the previous record set in 1987 by 0.9 degrees.

"We saw it coming from mid-January on that we were seeing something quite remarkable," Whitewood said.

The experience has been similar south of the border where the U.S. National Climatic Data Center said the winter has been the fifth warmest on record. December through February are considered meteorological winter.

It was especially balmy in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, where temperatures were 6 to 8 degrees above normal.

Whitewood said the last 10 winters have been warmer than normal and along with this winter reflect a trend that could be explained as global warming. He said Environment Canada would spend the next year examining the data to see if it's an aberration or evidence of a trend.

While some Canadians have been delighted by the milder winter, many are disappointed about thinner ice for ice skating and hockey and less snow in the ski resorts. Several islands off Nova Scota were inundated by thousands of pregnant seals forced to give birth on shore by unusually mild weather that has prevented the Gulf of St. Lawrence from freezing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060314/...NlYwN5bmNhdA--

[Martin]

Yes Fatesown, Im a skeptic like yourself and believe in the same. But like alot of others say, we just dont have enough historic evidence of global warming. Since we've only been keeping records for less then 200 years.

There has been soo much warming at the poles in recent years it just cant be ignored. Your area has a higher chance of being affected more drastically because of your location. (closer to the poles)

[fatesown]

I'm actually in SW Florida, more of an immediate concern to me are the SST's near the equator! ;-) But I also recognize that this is a Global concern, not just Local, if you know what I mean.

And I agree with you, that there isn't enough accurate data to truly forecast from what we are seeing now, but even 200 years of 'normal' being thrown out of whack, in more than one location, indicates a change. And the more locations, the bigger the change, I'd think.

Originally Posted by fatesown

From the AP, via Yahoo News, link at bottom of page. This bothers me due to the implication of more melting permafrost, and how that will affect the wildlife/natural habitat of a whole LOT of acreage...

TORONTO - The winter of 2005-2006 has been Canada's warmest on record and the federal agency Environment Canada said Monday it was investigating whether it's a sign of global warming.

Between December and February, the country was 3.9 degrees above normal — the warmest winter season since temperatures were first recorded in 1948. Environment Canada climatologist Bob Whitewood said it smashed the previous record set in 1987 by 0.9 degrees.

"We saw it coming from mid-January on that we were seeing something quite remarkable," Whitewood said.

The experience has been similar south of the border where the U.S. National Climatic Data Center said the winter has been the fifth warmest on record. December through February are considered meteorological winter.

It was especially balmy in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, where temperatures were 6 to 8 degrees above normal.

Whitewood said the last 10 winters have been warmer than normal and along with this winter reflect a trend that could be explained as global warming. He said Environment Canada would spend the next year examining the data to see if it's an aberration or evidence of a trend.

While some Canadians have been delighted by the milder winter, many are disappointed about thinner ice for ice skating and hockey and less snow in the ski resorts. Several islands off Nova Scota were inundated by thousands of pregnant seals forced to give birth on shore by unusually mild weather that has prevented the Gulf of St. Lawrence from freezing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060314/ap_on_sc/canada_warmest_winter;_

ylt=AqwLAAqRSUJs3PEUEuKUOglvieAA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJv MDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

This is a scary prospect for me also. This winter was to warm for comfort in the SE. People may like warmer winters (not me) but they have to think how the entire ecosystem will be affected from drastic climatic change. If permafrost melts, then that means a lot of things will suffer. I hope this cycle changes as well, but I am another skeptic of global warming. I think it is a natural cycle my self.

Dustin