Weekend forecast cranks up the heat

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This article was published 13/06/2022 (1354 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a winter of near-record snowfall and spring flooding that prompted comparisons to the Flood of the Century, Winnipeg is now headed for a weekend of extreme heat.

Environment Canada expects the mercury to climb to 37 C on Sunday, increasing risks for vulnerable populations.

“Definitely, it’s going to have an impact,” said Rhonda Elias-Penner, the executive director at Thrive Community Support Circle. “If somebody is unsheltered, they have nowhere to go to cool down, so they’re coming to organizations like us for support.”

When temperatures reached similar highs last summer, Thrive’s support centre in the West End received more than 300 daily visitors. Most people were desperate for water, sunscreen and shade, she said.

Elias-Penner hopes the city will open cooling centres, splash pads and temporary fountains for clean water access.

“If they don’t receive support to help them keep cool during this extreme weather, we’re going to see it causing all kinds of strain on our health-care system as well as more death and serious illness,” she said, noting many public bathrooms and shelters have been removed as a result of safety concerns.

In an email, Lisa Gilmour, the acting assistant chief in the city’s Office of Emergency Management, told the Free Press that splash pads would be open, and the city will explore additional cooling options if high temperatures persist.

Wading pools open on July 1.

There are 21 spray pads and wading pools across the city. Each will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., and admission is free, Gilmour said.

The city provided a list of safety recommendations, including staying hydrated, limiting alcohol consumption, applying sunscreen, seeking shade, and checking in on vulnerable people, especially older adults or individuals with medical conditions.

The number of extreme weather events Manitobans have endured over the last two years is unheard of, said Terri Lang, an Environment Canada meteorologist.

“That’s the million-dollar question. Why is it happening, and why does Manitoba seem to be in the crosshairs?” Lang said, adding the answer may be related to a weather phenomenon.

For two consecutive years, much of the country has been in the grips of La Nina, in which normal surface temperatures in the South Pacific Ocean cool. The change can significantly impacts on global weather patterns, Lang explained.

A typical La Nina cycle lasts between nine to 12 months and occurs every two to seven years. When these patterns persist beyond that, meteorologists refer to it as a “double-dip.” During a double-dip, a region may see two La Nina winters in a row, each potentially delivering heavy snowfall, colder temperatures and increased spring precipitation, Lang said.

The phenomenon creates a jetstream which influences the direction of storm systems, and right now, Manitoba is directly in its path, she said.

According to long-range forecasts, a third La Nina — something Lang has never seen — may be on its way. Overall, a summer of lower temperatures and a chance of above-average precipitation is expected, she added.

Climate advocates argue ongoing weather variations require a proactive, political response.

“This is absolutely a result of extreme climate change,” said Durdana Islam, the project manager behind Manitoba’s Climate Action Team. “We need political will to make (climate intervention) happen, and we need to elect government officials who are going to commit.”

Islam described climate change as a multi-tier problem requiring individual, municipal, provincial, and federal effort.

She identified Winnipeg’s lack of efficient transit and infrastructure as crucial to reducing the city’s carbon footprint. A 2018 report from the environmental coalition found transportation was responsible for 42 per cent of local emissions.

Islam blamed the short-sighted nature of politics as partially responsible.

“The work is not being done… when you take climate action, nobody is going to see the results in four years,” she said.

Islam listed reconciliation, climate action, support for Winnipeg’s homeless, and affordable housing as the most pressing issues in October’s municipal election.

Beyond Winnipeg, extreme heat is increasing the threat of forest fires.

At press time, the provincial government reported seven fires burning across the province, with five classified as “out of control.”

On Monday, Manitoba’s Wildfire Service was battling a blaze near South Indian Lake, approximately 13o kilometres north of Thompson. The fire, which covered roughly 1,200 hectares, required support from water bombers and helicopters.

Smoke from the fire forced the closure of Provincial Road 493 near Issett Lake, and power to South Indian Lake and O-pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation was disrupted. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. There were no evacuation orders in place as of Monday afternoon, a government representative wrote to the Free Press in an email statement.

tyler.searle@winnipegfreepress.com