Winter departs amid record-high temperatures
Posted Mar 19, 2012 06:02:01 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Even before the sun rose on the final full day of winter the temperature at Halifax Stanfield International Airport set a new record high of 13 degrees, the second record to fall in as many days.
Spring technically starts Tuesday, but conditions are more typical of summertime than mid-March.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen weather like this in more than 30 years of forecasting,” said News 95.7 meteorologist Richard Zurawski. “Most climatologists would look at this and say we’re getting a real indication of what climate change is beginning to look like.”
The temperature has topped 20 degrees across Canada and the U.S. this week, and it’s expected to reach the low twenties in Halifax by the end of the week.
Zurawski says there are already flies buzzing, flora budding and fauna reacting to the unseasonably warm weather.
“That is an issue especially in the lakes and streams, because lakes and streams are not that deep and if we do have a very warm summer then, of course, the temperature get too warm and we could be looking at fish kills,” said Zurawski.
Drought is another concern, although not as much in Nova Scotia as in some parts of the southern U.S.
So far this month, we’ve received 59.9 millimeters of precipitation, nearly the same amount received in all of March 2011.
However, precipitation amounts in February were much lower with only 106.9mm falling – compared to 166.2mm in February 2011.
While it was a drier than normal winter, it was also a mild winter even though temperatures this year were on par with temperatures last year.
“Nine out of the last 10 mildest winters ever recorded have been set in the last decade,” explained Zurawski.
Speaking to people on the street, most are pleased about the weather and not concerned about climate change.
“I think it’s great. Anytime we can get some good weather here, during the winter months is awesome,” said one man. “I’m not that into climate change right now. I’ll definitely enjoy the weather, though.”
“It’s about time, winter was long,” said one man, adding he plans to use the warm weather for relaxing. “I’m not concerned too much, but it looks apparent. It looks obvious.”
