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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1990-07-04, Page 15These volunteers are doing something about the weather What's. the one thing adia talk ..about more than hockey, free trade or the Off mbined?' Where do we start when we waet to say something to that person we see every day in the elevator? The weather. It.. seems like • a trivial topic, but: there's no denying the weather's always there. lir fact,, if you,. think about• it for a moms ent, it has a huge impact' on our fives. Weather, or •more:, accurately climate - the long rerun weather ,patterns in a given region, deter rnunes the type of buildings we live and work in; the sort of `clothes we wear from season to season, the things we do for recreation, and the price we pay for groceries at the supermarket. And both. common sense ' and science agree that the weather of • fects our moods; more people are likely gripped, by the February blahs than by flus and colds. But for all that, nobody can do anything about it! Well, yes, the weather is right up there with death and taxes, but .that hasn't stopped, us from trying to unders- tand it. If we can't control the weather, perhaps ,at least we can see its larger patterns and micronize its negative effects on our lives. 1990 marks an important anniver- sary for Canada in this regard: our country has maintained an tui - broken run of weather records for 150 years. That, ``streak"' was started in Toronto in 1840. But other weather stations began their work in the decades following and have also kept, at • it. steadily:. Quebec City in .1869, Halifax, and Montreal in 1871, Winnipeg and Vic- toria in 1872, St. John's in 1874, Ed- monton in 1880, and so on. Scores of such stations. across Canada have been watching and recording, the weather all these years, day in and day out, with,. amazing consistency. And the ac- cumulated ccumulated data is staggering: near- ly 3 billion climate observations from several thousand locations across the country. That's something to celebrate. And so this year Environment Canada's Atmospheric Environment Service (AES) is doing just that: starting with Environment Week (June 3 — 9), a variety of events will be held across the country, in- cluding open houses at weather sta- tions, historical exhibits of weather instruments, and a colorful September 5 pageant in Toronto to mark the setting -up of Canada's first weather observatory. In addi- tion, Canada Post is issuing 15 million copies of a special com- memorative stamp. It all began with Lieutenant Charles Riddell of the British Ar- tillery. Early in 1840 at Fort York in Toronto, he started taking daily temperature and precipitation readings. He continued this work after moving his equipment,` north that September to King's College, now the University of Toronto. By the 1850s this observatory was in civilian hands, under the energetic direction of George Kingston. He contacted amateur weather observers in Quebec City, Montreal, Hamilton and other locales, and began a climate ar- chive from the data they regularly sent him. Across the country, from the Maritimes to the growing Western settlements, the climate stations spread: 154 were sending data to Toronto by 1880, about 500 by the end of World War I. 'The majority were maintained by volunteer weather watchers — farmers, doc- • tors, lawyers — who did their job for the satisfaction alone. Today there are about 2500 such observers. As in the past, most are just "ordinary" people. At the core of Canada's climate and weather observing network are hundreds of paid professionals who manage a sophisticated system in- corporating radar, satellites and automatic stations. But without the day-to-day, unpaid efforts of the volunteers, Canada's climatologists would lack the vast resources of climate data that supports their work. So what is 66a' day in the life" of a volunteer weather observer like? Certienlyf, not as high-tech as you refight t tik in an age when satellites and supercomputers WON process .vast amounts of eiivaate data. Early in the, tnorning, Maud again the late afternoon, the observer reads two thermometers that record the day's minimum and manilla temperatures. They are sheltered in a white bog, called a Stevenson screen, that resembles a beehive; its louvered sides allow air to circulate, but prevent direct sunshine or precipitation from reaching the instruments. From a rain gauge on the ground nearby the observer measures and records any rain collected since the last observation,- in winter, ,the depth of fallen snow is noted. Final- ly, some general comments on the day's weather = "snow and strong wind" or "dense fog all morning" -- are penned. . Not hard to do, for sure, but how about every day of the year? Some, volunteers share the duties with a spouse or other family member, or may depend on a • neighbour to cover sick days and vacations. Still, it's quite a commitment. Some families, like the Bairds of Brucefield, Ontario, have tended their station over several generations. The observers send a monthly report to an Environmental Canada regional office: Their data is thoroughly4checked, then .forwarded to the AES Canadian Climate Cen- tre in Downsview,, Ontario, for final processing by computers. Besides the almost 3000 observa- tion stations, the observer program includes another group .(almost 5000 strong) whose role is to .watch for potentially dangerous weather for- mations, ormations, like tornadoes, hailstorms or heavy thunderstorms.- Severe Weather 'Watchers are . asked to phone a ,special nuznlier if they spot anything unusual in the sky. You might think that modern weather-traeking equipment coil easily handle this vital jib. But the th iso some urbulent weather system can do lois of damage before they're large enough to be detected by electronic systems by then it inighi be too late.. A case in point; • Tom Taylor, a pharmacist m Leduc, south of Ed- Trtonton,.flrst spetted the approach of a deadly (toilnada an July '31, • 1957. His prompt call allowedthe weather ,centre to issuea, life- saving warning to thousands of Edmontonians. Weather Watch .volunteers include students, police officers and nature lovers. They \ may only spot threatening weather once or twice a year,, but their ,role is vital. The. data that pours into the Canada Climate- Centre from the daily observers may not be dramatic,but it's every bit as valuable. Thea Centre receives around 100,000 requests for climate data annually, usually from people whose activities are climate sen- sitive; farmers, architects and builders, ski -resort operators, heating -oil companies, as well as from individuals such as vaca- tioners and retirees who want an idea of the weather patterns in cer- }°tain areas of the country. The greatest benefits from Canada's 150 yearsof weather watching may be yet to come, however. Scientists studying such - wide -scale climate issues as global warming depend heavily on the sorts of long-term .records that • Canada has accumulated.. The ongoing, daily tracking of our weather will be crucial in develop- ing a picture of the earth's pro- bable climate future. The more we know, the better prepared we can be. So, the next time you're tempted, to grumble about the weather (too hot, too cold, too whatever ...), just remember that silent band of weather volunteers. They, at least, are doing something. Luck ow Sentinel, Wednesday, July 4, O ABBY W. RE11D 8. 0114ARTXRIED ACCOUNTANT *Auditing *Financial Accounting *Personal & Corporate Tax Consultation - *Personal Financial' Planning *Manual & Computerized BookkeepinO. *Mortgage &. Amortization Schedules 3O6 .40ino St. Wirtghem, NOG 2W0 Office: 357.1522. Annual Pioneer Park - RUMMAGE SALE �c�1al. ,July n'i 3.: 1990 1400 ptm. BAYFIELD ARENA Donations eccepted. •Priddy morning at the Arena tALLETTE WAt2aCHARTERED� Offering a full range of services; auditing, accounting, business planning, income tax planning, personal financial'planning, computer and mangeinent services. HANIOVERWALKERTON MOUNT FOREST PORT ELGIN W.1. Aider Iey, FCA B.F. Thomson, FCA K.L. Drier, CA M.S. Bolton, CA L.H..Vollett, CA R.I. Millen, CA. H.E. Kibler, CA 1.1. Hunt, CA G.H. Munro, CA R. Thor, CA 364.3790 881.1211 323-2351 8324049 We're ready when you are! Use Our INSTANT FAX The Lucknow Sentinel has a FAX machine in our office that lets you contact any other FAX machine in the world - instantly. Send your important documents, statements, contracts, legal papers, etc. instantly. Nancy Maclntyre (left), Worthy Matron of Huron Chapter 89, Order of the Eastern Star, Wingham made a monetary presentation to the Jack Reavie Enterprises, Wingham. Accepting was Joan Chamney, a represen- tative of Jack Reavie. This was Mrs. Maclntyre's special project this year. (Pat Livingston photo) The Sentinel offers you the service of the FAX for a cost of $4.00 per printed sheet for the first and $1.00 per additional sheet (and the long distance charges are free within Ontario). Our FAX number is also your number, so if you want to be reached instantly — we will receive your messages for $1.00 per sheet. INSTANT FAX as fast as the phone For more details call 528-2822 ntinel Can you identify this picture? Call The Sentinel at 52&2822 if you do.