2021 was the third-warmest year in Thunder Bay

THUNDER BAY — It's been a warmer year than normal in Thunder Bay.

But 2021 was notable for more than just aberrations in temperature at the head of the Great Lakes.

Local climatologist Graham Saunders says wide fluctuations in weather patterns were another indication of how climate change is affecting Northwestern Ontario.

Up to December 29, the average temperature in the Thunder Bay area this year was 4.7 C, which is about 2.5 degrees higher than the long-term average.

This makes 2021 the third warmest year on record.

"In spite of a very frigid February, we had a warmish winter, then spring was a little warmer and summer was quite a bit warmer. The fall was exceptionally warm too, so it all adds up to a year of unusually warm temperatures," Saunders said.

He said this is more evidence of the trend to a warming climate.

"That doesn't iron out all the little glitches, such as a very cold February, but the overall trend is much warmer than it used to be in Thunder Bay. I would think we're in store for warmer temperatures and more extremes in our weather."

Precipitation patterns are another marker for climate change.

"We've certainly witnessed this in BC, but in our area too," Saunders said..

"We had an exceptional amount of rainfall in December. If we look at old records, from decades ago, we had some winters where it doesn't rain at all. It's all snow. I don't know what will happen over the next two months but we're already off to a big start of much more rainfall than normal."

He also pointed to the prolonged drought that covered much of the year, and created hardship for area farmers.

It's had a significant impact on Lake Superior as well, Saunders noted.

"It's remarkable...Two years ago, we were still talking about how high water levels were on Lake Superior, and now it's below the long-term average. How quickly that's gone from low to high to low again."

He said Lake Superior is currently at its lowest level in more than a decade, and 10 centimetres below the long-term average for December.

"It appears to be more variable. Who knew, or would have predicted, that the lake would be 44 centimetres lower than December 2019?"

According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Superior is currently 30 centimetres lower than it was a year ago.