Canadians have experienced numerous, sweltering heat waves this summer, and federal analysis reveals climate change made the unseasonable temperatures much more likely.
Climate scientists examined various periods of hot weather in June and July. During those months, Alberta saw temperatures soar above 30 C, nearly nine degrees above the seasonal average. Northwest Territories logged a peak temperature of 28.4 C, 9.2 degrees higher than usual. Nunavut recorded an unseasonal peak of 22.1 C, when temperatures on average hang below 15 C.
In those instances, and several others, “human influence on the climate made these events at least two to 10 times more likely to happen,” reads a release from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The scientists analyzed the heat waves through the Canadian government’s new Rapid Extreme Weather Event Attribution system, which is still in its pilot phase. It compares the weather of today, which is influenced by current levels of atmospheric greenhouse gasses, to the weather and atmosphere of the 1800s, before the Industrial Revolution.
As the planet warms due to human emissions, heat waves grow more intense, wildfires intensify, drought periods extend, colder months become milder, glaciers thaw, and permafrost retreats.
Earth has logged several climate-related records this year. Perhaps most notably, climate scientists made headlines around the world when they announced July 21 was the hottest day ever recorded.
At the time, Carlo Buontempo, director of Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, issued a grim warning.
“We are now in uncharted territory,” he said.
More details to come.