Newfoundland and Labrador will warm up by 2 to 4 Celsius by 2050

Western Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador (Courtesy: Keith Ryan)

Thursday, June 13, 2013, 11:00 AM -

Climate projections released on Thursday suggest Newfoundland and Labrador will warm up by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius by 2050, increasing the likelihood of extreme storms.

The study was done by climatologist Joel Finnis, a geography professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

He predicts rising temperatures will mean more extreme weather and variations of disease patterns carried by mosquitoes, for example.

Rising temperatures will mean more extreme weather

The study suggests more extreme precipitation and an overall increase in storm intensity.

Provincial Environment Minister Tom Hedderson says climate change is a reality that will affect all economic sectors, including tourism and agriculture.

He says it will affect how the province designs roads and culverts, and its emergency planning.

He says the changes could also result in longer summers and shorter winters.