And to think that the weather today is the result of the moderately low carbon of the 70s, once you factor in the 40 year time lag. The young will grow up on a completely different planet and they will curse us.

Though I miss the Rocky Mountains and its people, and find NS has some huge drawbacks, whenever I think of leaving, I stop and think of the future. I think this is where the water will be as well as the snow pack. I think the west may be done. Don't even get me started on feedback loops as the northern methane releases.

What do you consider to be the huge draw backs?

What do you consider to be the huge draw backs?

There are many things but as often the case, The problem is the advantage. Its a collapsing economy...but its pretty much been collapsing for 200 years. Anyone hard working enough, adventurous enough, smart enough or ambitious enough...left. Its sometimes referred to as the Alabama of canada . So, what's the advantage? There is lots of very inexpensive land for sale. True story. I was asked by locals, "Why did you move here/", I responded, "Because of the 2008 financial crash, we thought it best to move to the farm and get ready for the next round". They responded, "What happened in 2008?". At first, I was dumbfounded...then I realised 2008 had not effected them at all and they already had a resilience built into them buy having a couple hundred years of hardship under their belt.

There is a major demographic problem here. Young people have to leave. Old people come back to retire. There will not be the tax base to support the retirees. It will be one of the first provinces to go bankrupt. Both levels of government already know this (The Albany Report on Nova Scotia). Businesses are closing, Industry is closing. Small towns are depressing. Roads are sketchy. So, What's the advantage? The more this area fails, the more people leave, the more privacy, space and freedom I have to do this whole "Collapse Now and Avoid The Rush", homesteading thing. To sum up, If you have a mortgaged home already, somewhere else and can get out of it, you can probably afford a decent property here, paid free and clear. Just don't expect a good job to go with it.

Last winter was brutal with the effects of climate chaos. Out west is a tinderbox, as I predicted, but the ridge that caused it also brings a snowpocalypse here. So, in years to come, we will swing between hurricane tropical storms and giganto winters. What's The Advantage? All that water is heading here and staying longer in snowmelt. This may end up one of the last sustainable growing regions as the weather chaos progresses . Shhhh. Don't tell everyone.

...And I don't think there is a decent dance club east of Montreal... The advantage? It will save me money not desperately trying to relive my glory days. LOL

http://globalnews.ca/news/804738/report-released-on-climate-change-impacts-on-alberta/

Report released on climate change impacts on Alberta

EDMONTON – A new climate change report projects Alberta will generally see an earlier spring, increased precipitation, warmer temperatures, and an overall drier climate, which could eliminate nearly all of the boreal forest.

The report, done by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute for the Climate Change Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC), examines different ways the changing climate is likely to affect Alberta’s ecosystems.

The projections outline a range of possible changes to the climate. At a minimum, the report suggests, temperatures in Alberta will likely increase by two degrees Celsius over the next hundred years.

“All available global climate change models predict this outcome,” states the news release.

Therefore, the report says, Alberta’s ecosystems are projected to shift northward.

For example, it predicts the parkland landscape around Edmonton will start to resemble the grassland landscape around Calgary.

The report’s findings predict “key regions of the province will see different plants, tree species, animals and bird life as the province’s climate continues to change over time.” Based on author Dr. Richard Schneider’s projections, “the Foothills will see an increase in ecological diversity, while the average water level in wetlands will decline. In Alberta’s boreal forest pine and spruce may decline significantly as the region transitions to aspen forest and grassland in the next century.”

The higher predictions indicate temperature increases of up to 6.5 degrees Celsius. The report says that could result in the near-complete loss of boreal forest from northern Alberta.

“We’ve essentially taken the existing snapshot of Alberta’s ecosystems and created a movie to describe what is likely to change in those living systems as they respond to climate change,” explains Schneider.

“This is a significant report for the CCEMC,” said Eric Newell, CCEMC Chair. “It improves our understanding of the implications of climate change for Alberta over time and continued work will enhance the ability of industries like forestry that rely on Alberta’s ecosystems to plan and prepare for the future.”

2nd winter now with no snow, or so little I cant go snowshoeing, not once this winter, the little snow we had melted on the strawberry patch, and the leaves are green and look like they are growing! I fired up the snowblower once and even then I didn't have much to blow. I have just been burning the odd armload of wood now and again for heat, I may just as well let the fire stay out as the house stays warm.....the coldest it got all winter was -28, and that was just for one night

I have friends that are selling their land central alberta and moving much further north, their land is so dry, without running drip lines, they will not be able to run their gardens..

I remember reading water wars and the writing was the on the wall when it came to how water will continue to effect the shed from the mountains to Hudson Bay..

It will be well worth watching this year to see what happens in regards to crops and the rest of the land..

We were in the Yukon on holidays a few years ago, and there was evidence that some of the trees that had been there thousands of years ago were returning to the region once again. I also found it interesting that after travelling far north of the tree line, the birches re-appear near Inuvik. Some extra moisture would be good this year as there is very little snow left on the ground here and they are already getting the wildfire crews set up to hit the ground at the beginning of March. I am still looking up and waiting for the surprise snowstorm that generally hits here in the spring just when you think you are ready to head into warmer weather.

I'm west of Edmonton and I can remember maybe twenty years ago that a low spot on a secondary highway out there would flood some wet springs. The pastures next to it would be large ponds. The water was never deep enough to keep us from driving it,but we often wondered if that could happen with a downpour. Now the low fields there don't even puddle in the spring. We had a bit of a runoff stream that would wind through the trees and cone out in a southern ditch with enough water that there were marsh marigolds growing. Haven't seen them for maybe 15 years.
I took an album up to my Father the other day. The backyard of his house (in the late '60s) was at least 5' high with snow. We jumped off the garage roof for fun and never reached the patio underneath. There wasn't even enough snow this year for me to take out a shovel at my place this winter.

I hear what you are saying. Here in the SE corner of BC, we had our driveway plowed three times this winter. In previous years, it was a weekly thing. The only reason we needed ours done this year is that I am still a little shakey at the winter driving thing. I hate driving in the snow! All three times, it was mostly to get rid of the plow burm at the edge of the driveway/ road edge as it was about half a metre deep, and couldn't chance getting stuck. Most of our snow is gone now, and the Elk are down at the river edge in great number to get the fresh green grass. Whar really surprised me was that we got freezing rain last night. Not a lot, but enough to make our pothole riddled gravel road very treacherous. I do not EVER remember this area getting freezing rain before. Usually, in late January or early February, we have a couple of weeks of -15 to -20C weather. Not this year. In November, we got ten days of -12, with no snow. Our water lines froze for a coupe of days. Have pleanty of stored water on hand so that was not a problem, Since then we have had a record amount of rain down here. I hear that the snow pack "up top" is holding fairly well. When we were still in the city, (15 years ago) we would routinely get 2 to 3cm of snow an hour, for 18 hours, or more. That just does not happen any more. In some ways this weather is nice, but I am truely worried about the future. Will we have a bad ire season this year? Who knows!

KK

Good, its not just me that's noticing it. I have pictures of the early 90's (1993 I think) and it was typical in winter to have the cars in the yard drifted over in snow.....not now. I never thought I would have to worry about grass fires in Feb.

Spring came 2 months early...

Not really sure why I am responding. Been too busy taking advantage of it. Working hard...because I am panicking, really. I had to do stretching for the first time in years just to deal with the unusual muscle trama.

spring has arrived? as in unusual warm temps? or as in the frost is coming out of the ground and with a bit of planning an season extenders, I will be planting soon?

either way.. stretching is good for you