| Hudson
Bay Post Archives: How's the Weather?
Climate
Change and Weather Observations Along Hudson Bay
 The
first long-term studies of climate change took place along the
coast of Hudson Bay at places like Churchill and York Factory.
They are part of the longest and most comprehensive set of weather
observations in North America, if not the world.
As
part of daily activities at any Hudson's Bay Company trading post,
weather patterns, rainfall, and casual observations were recorded
and eventually archived by the company. In fact during the early
1800s, there were at least three times as many weather stations
in Northern Manitoba as there are today. There is even evidence
that a weather station was planned for Cape Merry in the mid-1700s.
Weather
records for York Factory and Churchill date all the way back to
1714 and 1718, respectively. The Hudson's Bay Company kept accurate
records to assist in their business decisions regarding the fur
trade. Their archives contain journals from over two hundred trading
posts throughout the Canadian northwest.
York
Factory, as the main depot and administrative center for the Hudson's
Bay Company, has the most complete set of meteorological records.
Its first weather entry was made by James Knight on September
6, 1714.
By
1724, a global weather observation network was proposed to the
Royal Society in London. Over the next two hundred years, over
100,000 qualitative observations would be recorded at York Factory.
Another 61,000 observations made at Fort Churchill.
A
typical Hudson's Bay Company entry would include the first melt,
first rain, thunder and lightning, the first frost and snow and
the total number of days with rain or snow. Daily entries include
wind direction, wind speed, precipitation and general weather
observations.
Short-term
climate change is not a new phenomena. Over the fifteen years
between 1720 and 1735, the first snowfall of the year moved from
the first week of September to the last. Also, the late 1700s
were turbulent years. They were extremely cold but annual snow
cover would vary from 'extreme depth to no cover'. For instance,
November 10th 1767 only one snowfall that quickly thawed had been
recorded. June 6, 1791 many feet of snow in the post's gardens.
The entry for July 14, 1798 reads '…53 degrees colder today
than it was yesterday.'
We
seem to be running in roughly forty year cycles of warming and
cooling - within a longer term warm period. This century has been
marked by a warming period (1910-1940) followed by a cooler period
through to the 1970s. The latest warming trend began in the late
70s, early 80s.
While
the climate was only about one or two degrees cooler during the
‘Little Ice Age’, many climate models now predict
that we will warm two to five degrees within the next century.
Most
scientists are in agreement that human activities are affecting
the climate. The pollution caused by burning of fossil fuels and
the creation of greenhouse gase' are adding to an already natural
warming cycle.
However,
much of our data is only a drop in the bucket. Only recently have
we even begun to integrate solar activity into the modelling system.
It seems that solar activity (reflected on Earth by the amount
of auroral activity) is directly related to climate (kind of makes
sense, since the sun affects climate every day just by rising
and setting...). In simple terms...more solar flares usually mean
a warming climate, while fewer translate to colder temperatures.
For example, there was little to no solar activity for 32 years
during the height of the Little Ice Age.
So,
are we overreacting to natural cycles or is this the result of
human induced change? Following Hudson's Bay Company archives,
it is likely , for better or worse, we will find the answer in
about ten or twenty years.
-
prepared by Kelsey Eliasson, originally appearing in the Hudson
Bay Post, Churchill's ex-newspaper
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