Climate change will bring hotter, wetter P.E.I., study predicts
Fiercer winter and spring storms expected
Islanders should consider investing in air conditioning and make sure their basements are water tight, according to a new study from the Prairie Climate Change Centre.
The study looked at 17 cities in Canada, and compared a baseline of the climate from 1976 to 2005 to what can be expected given current trends in 2051-80.
In Charlottetown, the study found all months will average several degrees warmer and most will be wetter, especially in the winter and spring.
| 1976-2005 | 2051-80 | |
| Typical hottest summer day | 29.8 C | 34.1 C |
| Typical coldest winter day | -24.1 C | -18.4 C |
| Number of +25 C days per year | 24 | 70 |
| Number of +20 C nights per year | 0 | 18 |
While warmer temperatures may bode well for summer tourism, warmer nights could make sleeping without air conditioning less comfortable. The report also contained this warning.
"A warmer climate may lead to more extreme weather, including even more intense rain and snowfalls, flash floods, high winds, and more damaging hurricanes," the authors wrote.
The study also predicts worse storm surges, and says coastal communities will have to adapt.