‘Something’s changed’: Summer 2023 is screaming climate change, scientists say
Global News
In British Columbia, once the ‘wet coast,’ 28 out of 34 river basins were at the province’s top two drought levels.
Earlier this summer, two Canadians walked into a party in rural Germany.
“Canadians?” joked the host. “I thought you’d smell more like smoke.”
It’s been that kind of season.
Floods, drought, warm waters lapping three coasts — but mostly wildfire smoke from sea to sea and overseas.
Yes, this is climate change, scientists say, and expect more weather weirdness to come.
“It’s been a wild ride,” said Danny Blair, co-director of the Prairie Climate Centre at the University of Winnipeg. “It’s been a season and a year of extremes.”
Drought is one example. Canada is a big place and it’s always dry somewhere, but not like this.
Agriculture Canada’s June 30 drought map shows most of the country was abnormally dry. Large stretches of the Prairies were under at least a moderate drought, pushing to extreme in southern Alberta.