(CP)
Thursday, March 27, 2008

TORONTO—Despite heavy snow in many central Canadian cities this year, the coldest winter day in Canada just ain’t what it use to be.
A study of daily minimum and maximum temperatures released yesterday by the British Meteorological Office reported the coldest winter days in Russia and Canada are as much as four degrees C milder since the 1950s.

A statement by the Centre said that the largest changes in maximum temperatures were “found across Canada and Eurasia, where they had typically warmed by one-three degrees Celsius.”
In Britain, warming was between 0.5 and 2.0 C.
David Phillips, Environment Canada’s foremost meteorologist, said the findings are further evidence of the growing impact climate change is having on northern Canada.
The study also reveals a trend towards warmer nights and hotter days, which is set to bring more heatwaves and shifts in crop-growing seasons.
“We pride ourselves as being winter people, but in many ways climate change is affecting that,” said Phillips.
“That differs in different regions,” he noted. “In the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region, it’s only 0.9 degrees warmer.
“In northern B.C. and the Yukon, the winters are 4.6-3.7 degrees warmer.”