Insurance industry noticing weird weather
The insurance industry has compiled an index of recent extreme weather and can confirm “the weather’s getting weirder.”
Caterina Lindman from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA) sees “definite trends that can’t be explained by normal variability."
Actuaries help assess and manage financial risks to companies associated with particular events-- in this case, weather events. In a joint effort by insurance organizations across North America, the CIA put together an Actuaries Climate Index that profiled weather trends up to spring 2017 and juxtaposed them against a 30-year average from 1961 to 1990.
Extraordinary weather
“Using data provided by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration… the method reveals a slow, gradual increase in extreme weather.”
Another startling find? Between the years of 1961 and 1990, extreme weather was only extraordinary five times. “In the last 10 years, however, that happened 12 times.”
Since the winter of 2015 in Canada, hot days have exceeded the normal number every season. The number “of normal cold days hasn’t exceeded normal for nine years,” which would suggest Canada is getting a bit warmer.
Precipitation
Interested in rain or snow? The number of wet days has been abnormal since spring 2013. But in Ontario and Quebec, it has been unusual since winter 2008.
“Actuaries use the information in their calculation of risk as they insure lives and property, said Lindman. But they also assess the climate to contribute to public debate."
Lindman added that the intention of the index is to be a neutral source that can contribute to political debates surrounding climate change and global warming.