Extreme weather events in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

• What extreme weather events impact where you live?

Although I didn't live in Thunder Bay at the time, in 2012, 120 mm of rain fell over 2 days in May (including 71 mm in less than 6 hours). This caused road wash outs, power outages, severe damage to hundreds of homes and businesses, issues at the water treatment plant and erosion to the city's landfill site.

Climate change is anticipated to bring an increase in average temperatures, shorter winters, rapid spring snow melts (increasing the risk of flooding) and more severe weather events (including freezing rain storms and tornadoes) to Thunder Bay in the future.

• Have you noticed any change in weather patterns with climate change?

I have noticed this especially in the middle of winter (December - February) where we often will have days of rain (rather than snow) which never occurred while I as growing up.

• Can we attribute extreme weather events to ‘climate change’?
• Scientists at the University of Minnesota (whose state also shares having one of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior on their shores), report that the changes to Lake Superior (increased surface temperature in summer, decrease ice cover, increased wind speeds) will lead to more frequent and intense storms. (http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/climate/superior)