ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—Climate scientists say a blizzard that paralyzed eastern Newfoundland signals that greater preparations are needed for extreme precipitation and tidal surges — even if a direct line cannot be drawn between individual storms and climate change. The historic Jan. 17 blizzard dropped more than 76 centimetres of snow on St. John’s amid winds gusting over 150 kilometres per hour, breaking a record for single-day snowfall in the city. The provincial capital was under a state of emergency for eight days as crews worked to clear roads, and other municipalities responded to infrastructure damage and similarly deep snowfalls. Joel Finnis, a climatologist at Memorial University of Newfoundland’s geography department, said heavy snowfall is not unknown in St. John’s. In Bonavista, north of St. John’s, the storm surge from last month’s blizzard battered already deteriorating sea walls that protect homes along the historic community’s shoreline.

Source: thestar February 02, 2020 12:00 UTC