"How Rising Temperatures Have Changed Winter Hydrology Across Ontario"
W. Trevor Dickinson, Water Resources Engineering, University of Guelph
Thursday June 28, 2012
J.R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall
Room 309 at 2:30 p.m.
Abstract
Trends in time series have been explored for a number of temperature and precipitation variables at climatic stations located across Ontario. The data reveal that temperatures have clearly been rising steadily across the province for up to and at least 135 years, with cooler temperatures rising at the greatest rates. Not surprisingly, therefore, the number of frost-free days per winter – a variable directly related to minimum daily temperatures – have also been rising, but at increasing rather than steady rates. Further, winter rainfall and snowfall have been changing across the province: winter rainfall increasing and snowfall decreasing, total winter precipitation remaining essentially unchanged. There have likely been associated impacts on the number and magnitude of winter runoff events, and on groundwater recharge. However, such impacts are yet to be ascertained.
Authors: Trevor Dickinson, Ramesh Rudra & Arezoo Amili, Water Resources Engineering, University of Guelph