08/02/2018
Please join us for a webinar on August 28th, 2:00-3:00 pm EST, to discuss a new climate information product for the Great Lakes: the 2017 Annual Climate Trends and Impacts Summary for the Great Lakes Basin. Details below.
The summary document can be found https://binational.net/2018/07/10/ctis-ctic-2017/.
Webinar Info:
Title: 2017 Annual Climate Trends and Impacts Summary for the Great Lakes Basin
Date: Tuesday, August 28th, 2018
Time: 2:00-3:00pm EST
Log-in Info:
Screen sharing: https://bluejeans.com/190594461
Call-in number: +1-888-240-2560
Meeting ID: 190594461
Authors: Jeffrey Andresen, William Baule, Kim Channell, Sylvain Deland, Beth Hall, Jenna Jorns, Doug Kluck, Wendy Leger, Brent Lofgren, Meredith Muth, Frank Seglenieks, Nancy Stadler-Salt, Jonathan Weaver, Robert Whitewood
Abstract:
Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA), the Annex 9 Extended Subcommittee on Climate Change Impacts generated a pilot product for 2017, titled ‘2017 Annual Climate Trends and Impacts Summary for the Great Lakes Basin.’ The product aims to provide a timely and succinct summary of the past year’s climate trends, notable climate-related events, and relevant new research, assessments, and relevant activities in the context of the Great Lakes. 2017 was a particularly interesting year for climate events and trends in the basin with higher than average seasonal temperature and precipitation, flooding, and low ice cover. The majority of the region experienced a wet spring with persistent heavy rain and snowfall. Water levels in the five Great Lakes were above average, continuing a similar trend during the past several years. Due primarily to high spring rainfall, Lake Ontario reached its highest ever recorded water level in May 2017 resulting in shoreline flooding in New York and Ontario. Winter and fall warm spells led to record warm temperatures in parts of the basin. At just 15% areal coverage, Great Lakes maximum ice cover for the year was 40% below the long-term average. The United States and Canada (via representatives on the Annex 9 Subcommittee) coordinated on synthesizing this information in a short and easy-to-understand document. This prototype climate information product will be that is intended to be replicated each year if the product is found to be useful to GLWQA annexes, the Great Lakes Executive Committee, and policy and decision makers at all levels in the Great Lakes. This webinar will share the 2017 pilot product and solicit feedback on its utility.
