Research summary
In colder parts of the world, weather can bring dangerous types of precipitation, such as ice pellets, freezing rain and wet snow. Because the frequency and intensity of storms is increasing due to climate change—and high-impact weather events can have catastrophic consequences—we need a better understanding of the weather patterns that fuel these events, including how the patterns may change in future.
As Canada Research Chair in Extreme Winter Weather Events, Dr. Julie Thériault is identifying the main weather conditions that lead to high-impact events, including the amounts and types of precipitation. She and her research team will then study the processes that create hazardous precipitation and evaluate future changes in extreme winter weather events, including the amounts and types of precipitation. Ultimately, they aim to better understand the factors behind extreme winter weather—such as the type, intensity and duration of precipitation—to better anticipate how the climate crisis may change them.