They said it, yep – now global warming is going to threaten our health because cross-country skiing and outdoor skating seasons will be shorter.
The results paint a grim picture for the future of outdoor skating. The largest decreases in the skating season length were observed in the Prairies and Southwest regions of Canada. By extrapolating their data to predict future patterns, the researchers came up with some ominous news: within a few decades, we could see a complete end to outdoor skating in British Columbia and Southern Alberta.
No Canadian region is safe from that fate. For Matthews, it’s clear that we are all vulnerable to continued winter warming. “It’s hard to imagine a Canada without outdoor hockey,” he says “but I really worry that this will be a casualty of our continuing to ignore the climate problem and to obstruct international efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.”
“The disappearance of outdoor hockey rinks and probably cross-country ski trails is not going to be good for the health of our youth and the leaders of tomorrow, who need all the exercise they can easily get.” said McGill Emeritus Professor, Lawrence Mysak, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
It never occurred to me that substitutes were harder to find. You know, you can swim in an outdoor pond and jog on a cross-country trail.
We all have been waiting for this, the horrible things that will happen to Canada if the climate gets warmer.
Cape May, NJ, is filled with Canadians who, after checking out of the Ice Hotel in Montreal, come to hotels called Le Mer, and bathe in the warm waters of Delaware Bay/Atlantic Ocean, which are 70 degrees. The last ship I was on had Nova Scotians, Albertans, and a score of French Canadians from Quebec. None of them said anything about losing skating hours.
I share all of WC’s concerns about what might happen if the world warms up, say, pushing it to the max, four degrees on average in the next ten years, obliterating New Jersey islands, the Florida coast, most of Long Island, the Grand Banks, Hilton Head, Tonga, et cetera. However, I bet residents of Bellville, Ontario, will be happier that they can plant their gardens a month and a half earlier. The wintercows will be happier, too, to get out of the barn earlier, to eat grass.
” By extrapolating their data to predict future patterns, the researchers came up with some ominous news….”
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If they keep extrapolating and predicting eventually the Blue Planet will be a steaming blob, right? Of course, by that time, we probably won’t be around to contribute any CO2 to the atmosphere so maybe things will level off. Or will they?
Here at 45 degrees N. Latitude there was outdoor skating down at the park only one night this winter so there should be an epidemic of heart attacks before May Day.
I think its good, skating is too dangerous. We should just ban it because its dangerous for people. Also, I’m a terrible skater, and I hate seeing people better at things than me.
This is dangerous ground, Bradley, posting on wintercow’s blog about open-air skating on natural ice.
I am waiting for the North American Ice Fishing Association, and other cold-blooded organizations, to comment on weather trends.
Four weeks ago I broke my left femur when I deliberately fell ON ICE to avoid a collision with someone who stepped in my way. Had it been warmer, I would have been okay, skiing on mud.
It was 15 degrees outside when I fell. I guess it is colder at Jiminy Peak than at Mont Tremblant.
All those ice skaters should enjoy a longer golf season, and more opportunities to carry one’s own clubs.