Climate change in Prince George is happening at a higher rate compared to the global average, a report to city council says.
It has resulted in warming trends in the winter, leading to impacts with snow and ice control, localized flooding and increased summer pest infestations, like the mountain pine beetle.
This is according 2020 Climate Change Action Report heard by council this week, detailing ways the city can adapt.
“We’ve seen significant changes to our winters,” said Environmental Coordinator Andrea Byrne.
“Anyone who has lived in Prince George for over a decade can speak to how our winter temperatures have warmed.”
She says the city has gone from an average of 18 days a year where the temperatures are minus 25 or colder to just 7 days since 1942.
The minimum winter temperatures have also increased by approximately 9 degrees and winter precipitation is down 40 percent in the same time period.
Byrne attributes this to more rain in the winter than normal.
On the other end of the spectrum, the summer season has seen a precipitation drop of almost thirty percent, causing more severe wildfire seasons and increased residential sprinkling demands.
Looking to the future, Byrne tells PG residents to expect things to continue changing — and quickly.
“By 2050, Prince George expects to experience an additional increase in annual mean temperatures by two degrees and six additional days above 30 degrees. We’ll also see more rain, less snow, and more frost-free days as well as more extreme precipitation events,” she added.
“This may not sound so bad to those of us that enjoy the summer, however, we need to appreciate just how quickly this is happening.”
Effects on Prince George have already been recorded, with early ice oval closures, increased damage and pothills on roads, and relocation of speedskating events for the 2015 Winter Games.
The priority focus areas that require the most pertinent action for the City of Prince George are Transportation and Stormwater.
To move forward, Byrne suggests the priorities in the climate change adaptation and mitigation reports — citing possible confusion as an issue.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Centre for Climate Services (CCCS) of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has requested that the adaptation report be added to their case study library to assist other municipalities.
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