With summer on the horizon, and warmer temperatures arriving earlier and lasting longer across Canada, many are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s devastating extreme weather.
Dave Phillips, a senior climatologist for Canada’s Environment and Climate Change, spoke with Portia Clark, CBC Radio’s Nova Scotia Morning News presenter, about what neo-Scots can expect this summer.
Your discussion has been edited for length and clarity.
Last year we saw extreme heat, droughts, widespread wildfires: what is the probability that such extreme events will return this year?
I’ve been in business for half a century, I’ve never seen a year like last year. The zero zone was British Columbia, Alberta and the west … where they started hot and dry and the seeds of that misery were sown in winter and spring. Well, we are already seeing that this area is more humid and cool and windy and cloudy and therefore the chances of this performance repeating itself are probably, I think, quite slim.
I mean, you can have other misery and we’re seeing it in Manitoba, for example, where they had the worst drought in history, the worst of the Dirty ’30s last year, and they’re underwater now. I mean, you can go from water to sweat or from one end to the other and that’s the challenge for them.
We’ve already had wildfires here in Nova Scotia, so we’re aware of that. What kind of weather can neo-Scots predict?
Well, I always look for water temperatures. Water temperatures are quite warm in the province and really in the region. Our models came out this morning and during the months of June, July and August, it is showing a warmer temperature than normal. [season]so if you like your warm summers, I think you will like this one.
The other interesting thing is that sometimes all your good summer weather comes in June, when school is still open and the holidays haven’t started and it’s still warmer than normal summer, but boy , these two, the big months of July and August were sadly poor, but this one seems consistent: it really seems like the weather pattern itself is blocked.
Now there will be days that are not great, but in general we think that the taste, the personality of next summer is warmer than normal because we will see more flow from the United States and this of course, also brings moisture, so you may find it a little more awkward to turn around and turn at night and this also feeds the storms, but overall we think it looks lovely.
Beaches are popular when the heat rises. (CBC)
When we talk to emergency preparedness people in Nova Scotia, they always say that now the danger of heat is one of their main concerns. What can we do to prepare for the protection of all people, including vulnerable people?
Well, it’s true and I always think, don’t wait for someone to tell you it’s a dangerous situation. No stealth attacks over time, bad weather in the summer.
Even in storms, you can say, “Well, go, it’s starting to get cloudy and there’s thunder and lightning in the distance and it’s starting to rain” and all of a sudden you find something. Storms and tornadoes don’t occur in the blue sky and inflated white clouds, so there’s always a warning, so my message would be that people should be their own weather person.
Someone once told me that the best weather instrument ever developed was a pair of human eyes and just look up, look out and you can feel something coming and [you should] know what the rules are and know where to go in any situation: whether it’s on the football field, on the golf course, on the beach, or at home, just know what to do when the weather seems threatening.
Two dogs take a break at Halifax Point Pleasant Park. Dave Phillips reminds Nova Scotians to make sure their pets are safe during warm weather. (Elizabeth McMillan / CBC)
I think we should take responsibility for ourselves and certainly if you feel hot (heat is often a big victim for people in the summer), and therefore if you have air conditioning and you’re fine, ok, but look [after] people who might be a little disoriented. Old friends who may not have this central cooling, just to make sure they do, that they are okay, that someone is watching them … If we make a system of friends for the summer weather, I think they will be happy campers.
On a more practical note, it’s a good idea to have water bottles in your car wherever you go so you can deliver them to people who may not have access to them.
Absolutely. It’s common sense. So go ahead, don’t ignore your classmates, don’t just take care of yourself, take care of others, especially the elderly, people who may get a little confused or children and your pets. We can’t forget our furry friends and make sure they are treating the summer heat, fog and humidity in a proper way.