Mountain Meteorology Update

Ronald Stewart and John HanesiakUniversity of Manitoba

Issues and Studies

Overall: What is the spatial and temporal variation of precipitation and temperature over mountainous regions, what governs these, and how will they change? Special focus is placed on extremes.

Areas of past and present focus: Western Canadian mountains, Sierra Nevadas, Baffin Island, eastern Canada (Laurentians, Newfoundland)

Current or Recent Studies● Precipitation over Cypress and Whistler Mountains during the 2010 Olympics● Snow and rain from the coastal mountains to Alberta and future changes in

particular storms● Major autumn and winter storms occurring over southern Baffin Island● Winter storms over eastern Canada causing hazardous conditions● Alberta 2013 catastrophic flooding● Thunderstorms affected by topography that produced lightning over NWT● Severe summer storms over Prairies that produce heavy precipitation with

some being initiated by topography● Drought over the Prairies that extended into the mountains● Field project in Kananaskis in spring 2015 to examine precipitation formation