CC Vulnerability Assessment - Souris FINAL Combined.pdf

Heating Degree Days (HDD)This parameter is directly related to space heating demands. If present energy consumption for spaceheating is 1000 kilowatt-hour/yr and HDD decreases by 20%, then – all other factors being equal – thespace heating requirement will also decrease by 20%. Warmer winter and shoulder seasontemperatures are likely to reduce the requirement for heating in the Maritimes.Cooling Degree Days (CDD)CDD is a similar index to HDD but is directly related to the energy required for air conditioning. Warmersummer temperatures are likely to increase cooling demand, but the effect will vary by municipality.Coastal locations will have cooler weather due to the moderating effect of the ocean, while inlandlocations will be more vulnerable to heat.Hot Days and Very Hot DaysHot Days (i.e. days when the maximum temperature exceeds 30°C) are relatively rare on Prince EdwardIsland in the present climate. They are approximately 10 times more frequent in Windsor, ON wherethey occur on an average of 20 days per year. Very Hot Days (Maximum > 35°C) are almost unknown toMaritimers. To deal with extreme heat episodes other cities in Canada have implemented heat healthalert systems and responses like air conditioned public cooling centers, heat alerts and vulnerablepopulation monitoring.Cold Days and Very Cold DaysMany Islanders are already adapted to dealing with cold days, as they are endemic to living in Canada.However, cold weather is still a hardship for many people, particularly those who are considered to bemore vulnerable (e.g. elderly, disabled). Fewer cold days (i.e. days when the maximum temperaturedoes not exceed -10°C) and very cold days (i.e. days when the maximum temperature does not exceed -20°C) are anticipated across the board in future.Growing Degree DaysGrowing degree days are a parameter related to plant growth. The lower threshold temperature (5°C)usually applies to forage crops such as hay. The higher threshold (10°C) applies to heat-loving cropssuch as beans or tomatoes. Varieties of agricultural crops, ornamentals, and trees often have GDDratings associated with them. These ratings can be used along with other eco-parameters to choosevarieties that will grow best under the applicable climate conditions. For immediate choices it isprobably more important to consider climate ratings for plants with long lifetimes rather than annualflowers, for example. Long lived plants (trees) will experience changing conditions over their lifetimes.Climate scenarios indicate substantial changes to the GDD climate on Prince Edward Island.Growing Season Length and Freeze-Free SeasonGrowing season length refers to the period (in days) available to farmers for crop growth. Freeze-freeseason refers to the period (in days) during the year when frost is absent. It is expected that bothparameters will increase by 1 to 2 months by the end of the century. Consideration of these parametersfor their application in adaptation actions could be:Agricultural or horticultural facilities