Relationships between synoptic circulation patterns and freezing rain in Churchill, Manitoba (1953-2009)

Abstract

Freezing rain is an especially hazardous type of adverse weather and is frequently observed in Churchill, Manitoba. The goals of this study were to assess the climatology of freezing rain in Churchill, assess the synoptic climatology of the Hudson Bay region using a multi-level synoptic classification scheme, assess the relationships between the synoptic climate and freezing rain events, and assess the trends in synoptic types and to discuss the implications of climate change in relation to the expected changes in freezing rain. For the years 1953 thru 2009, freezing rain was observed during 796 hours, an average of approximately 15 hours per year. A 34-type multi-level synoptic classification consisting of five NCEP/NCAR reanalysis datasets was constructed. Type-20 was associated with a majority of the freezing rain cases. More research is needed to understand how climate change may impact the timing, frequency and intensity of freezing rain in Churchill.