More severe hurricanes for Atlantic Canada and toxic algae growing in local lakes are the latest proof that Climate Change is having a significant impact in the Strait area.
A forecaster with the Canadian Hurricane Centre says Atlantic Canada will experience three to six major storms this upcoming hurricane season, which will be the seventh year in a row the region will experience an above-normal season.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to the end of November.
Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Bob Robichaud of the Canadian Hurricane Centre said the “probabilities are pretty good” that there will an active season based on water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and other factors.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a weather and climate prediction agency in the United States, expects 14-21 named storms; of those, six to 10 are predicted to reach hurricane status; with, three to six being major hurricane status, which is considered to be Category 3, 4, or 5.
Robichaud explained that NOAA is calling for a “65 per cent probability of an active hurricane season.”
This follows last year’s third most active season on record, and 2020’s most active season on record. Looking at last year’s numbers overall, and comparing that to the outlook for last season, Robichaud indicated there were 21 named storms, a total of seven hurricanes, with four of them becoming major hurricanes.
The most recent hurricane to significantly impact Nova Scotia was Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, which caused more than 400,000 people to experience power outages, as some rural areas of the province were without power for up to nine days.
On average, the meteorologist said, Atlantic Canada gets between four and six storms every year that form in the Atlantic Ocean and find their way into the response zone.
When asked if the data has shown storms are increasing in severity and in occurrence over the past 10 years, the meteorologist said it’s tricky to quantify because they’re able to detect storms today that they couldn’t a decade ago.
Robichaud indicated they’re not able to say at this point where the storms are going to hit, but they’re able to say the bulk of the activity will come between August and October.
From a Climate Change perspective, Robichaud said Atlantic Canada may not necessarily get more storms, but the storms do get stronger.
If the water temperatures are warmer than average, Robichaud said they know the water is going to be able to produce a higher than average number of storms.
In the meantime, a new public education campaign designed to help Nova Scotians become more aware of blue-green algae is now underway.
According to the province, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, are naturally occurring in fresh water like lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. They can flourish in water high in nutrients, especially during hot, dry conditions, they said, noting the bacteria can be harmful to people and fatal for animals.
Laurie Pike, Director of Environmental Health and Food Safety with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, told The Reporter that Climate Change causes lake water to become warmer, which contributes to the increase of blue-green algae. She said the province can expect to see blooms more frequently, even in the most pristine of lakes.
Pike is hoping the education campaign can make Nova Scotians aware that the algae can produce toxins that causes illness in humans, and can be fatal to pets. Anyone who suspects they interacted with blue-green algae and shows any symptoms is encouraged to seek medical attention, and if pets ingest blue-green algae, it is recommended their owner contact a veterinarian immediately, the province noted.
The province said people should always scan the water and shoreline before entering the water or letting children or pets play in it. They said swimming in contaminated water can lead to itchy, irritated eyes, and skin, while swallowing or inhaling the water can cause headaches, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. They said pets may be attracted to the smell of algae mats and ingestion could be fatal.
The province said algae blooms can look like fine grass clippings in the water, spilled paint, pea soup or sometimes like a thick scum on the surface. They said algae mats can be found in shallow areas of lakes and rivers and the shoreline, and can look like clumps of vegetation, and can appear black, brown or dark green in the water and may appear grey when on the shoreline.
Blue-green algae can move around, reform and recur, making testing unreliable in large bodies of water, the province said.
Over the past few summers, the province has issued blue-green algae advisories to users of Lake Ainslie in Inverness County, and Pike said they will continue to let the public know as soon as they receive and confirm reports.
With Nova Scotians noticing the impacts of climate change, seeing more blue-green algae is a perfect example, said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr, on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman.
The province’s public education campaign will include a website dedicated to information about and reports of blue-green algae, including: photos of what to look for; an educational video; advertising; social media posts; signs at provincial beaches; and posters and resource materials.
Pike said the province is also engaging with provincial parks, municipalities, recreational clubs, water-based organizations, and regional media to get the message out to Nova Scotians.
As if recent extreme weather changes, storm surges, flooding, wind storms, power outages, damaged roads, bridges, and wharves in this region over the past two decades are not proof of the changing nature of this planet’s climate, here is more.
More frequent powerful hurricanes and toxins in local lakes have now become the norm in Nova Scotia, thanks to hotter summers and warming oceans, and acknowledging that reality is the first step in dealing with it these problems.
This is not the time for Nova Scotians to stick their heads in the sand, believe propaganda that denies the reality of Climate Change, or act if there’s nothing one person can do.
There is plenty individuals can do to combat Climate Change, there are all kinds of scientific data proving its reality, and there are no reasons to ignore this reality when a global problem is felt so acutely on the local level.
Climate Change is here, it is having an effect, and it’s time to do something about it or these problems will worsen.