Weather

One reason may be that research scientists are poor communicators, who talk in language that their peers may understand but the public does not

by HENRY HENGEVELD

At 8 pm on March 29, my wife and I lit a few candles, then turned off all the lights in our house. One by one, most of our neighbours did the same. Earth Hour 2008 had arrived! 

For parts of southern Ontario, the winter of 2008 brought the second-highest snowfalls on record, causing burnout to road and highway crews. And, paradoxically, it may just be another product of global warming

by HENRY HENGEVELD

When I tell my grandchildren about the bad snow years of the 1950s – the years when they needed bulldozers to push the snow banks into the fields because the plows couldn’t get through anymore – they sort of smile at me. They think I’m pulling their leg.

About 100 tornadoes a year strike Canada – mostly in southern Ontario and the Prairies. Fortunately, today’s improved forecasting is giving those in their path precious minutes to take shelter

by HENRY HENGEVELD

This past winter, North Americans had another reminder of how destructive and terrifying some weather events can be.

Last year, the already shrinking summer Arctic ice diminished even more dramatically, as did the Greenland ice sheet, making it Environment Canada’s choice for number one weather story of the year

by HENRY HENGEVELD

You might think that this is just another symptom of a warming world. But an expert study suggests that rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, not rising temperatures, may be the primary cause

by HENRY HENGEVELD

This past fall, our annual fall leaf clean-up began in mid-October, when the sunburst locust began to shed. Two weeks later, the chestnut tree suddenly dropped its leaves. However, at the time, the leaves on the maple and Chinese elms were still green. It wasn’t until the second half of November that these began to fall, and we could do our final yard clean-up.

With levels at their lowest since observations began in 1918, it’s beginning to look as if evaporation due to climate change may be the culprit

by HENRY HENGEVELD

During a mid-October family gathering, the conversation inevitably turned to the weather. After all, fall temperatures have been unusually warm, and it has been so dry.

New research suggests that absolute humidity has risen over the last 30-plus years and that this is primarily due to human activity

by HENRY HENGEVELD

I find the hot days of summer harder to take these days. They seem to be “steamier” than they used to be.

This, of course, could be entirely due to a reduced tolerance for heat and discomfort associated with advancing age. On the other hand, it may also be because summers are becoming more humid. In fact, there is new research evidence to suggest that this is indeed the case.

This year, it snowed (and stayed) before all the leaves were off the trees. I didn't know whether to rake or shovel the sidewalks.
Oh, and I'm just trying to see how this submits :)