Wednesday, December 24, 2025
ADVT 
National

Canadian snowpack gets thinner every decade: Environment Canada study

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 May, 2020 07:41 PM
  • Canadian snowpack gets thinner every decade: Environment Canada study

It may not feel like it the morning after a blizzard, but Canada gets less snow than it used to.

That's the conclusion of a 15-year study from scientists at Environment Canada, who have just published the most precise estimate yet of snowfall around the world.

They say that snowfall in Canada and the northern United States has been decreasing at a rate of 46 gigatonnes of snow a decade since 1980.

That's a lot of snow — enough to fill 18.4 million Olympic-sized swimming pools with meltwater.

Study co-author Chris Derksen says the decrease is happening mostly because climate change has shortened the snowfall season.

Much of what used to come down as snow now happens as rain.

But he says whether precipitation falls as solid or liquid makes a big difference to people managing flood risk or water supplies.

MORE National ARTICLES

Luck, timing, lessons from Ontario, Quebec helped B.C. slow COVID-19: doctor

VICTORIA — British Columbia's top doctor is crediting luck and timing for the province's early restrictive measures that helped slow down the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Luck, timing, lessons from Ontario, Quebec helped B.C. slow COVID-19: doctor

Scheer calls for more oversight of government's COVID-19 response

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is calling for the Liberals to be more transparent about their response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Scheer calls for more oversight of government's COVID-19 response

3M pushes back on Trump administration order to stop sending N95 masks to Canada

WASHINGTON — One of the world's largest U.S.-based makers of consumer products says it has been told by the White House to stop exporting medical-grade face masks to the Canadian market.

3M pushes back on Trump administration order to stop sending N95 masks to Canada

Researchers look at humidity as a weapon in the fight against airborne viruses

The ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic could get a boost if Canadians paid more attention to the relative humidity levels in public and private spaces, according to a growing body of international research.

Researchers look at humidity as a weapon in the fight against airborne viruses

Region of Peel 'accidentally' mails wrong COVID-19 test results to 16 people

BRAMPTON, Ont. — The Region of Peel in Ontario is apologizing after it "accidentally" mailed letters to 16 residents saying their COVID-19 test results were negative when, in fact, they were positive.

Region of Peel 'accidentally' mails wrong COVID-19 test results to 16 people

Canadians asked to wash mailboxes, keep dogs at bay, to ensure safe mail delivery

OTTAWA — The union representing Canada Post employees is asking Canadians to disinfect their mail boxes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Canadians asked to wash mailboxes, keep dogs at bay, to ensure safe mail delivery