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How might climate change?
Overall, results from the GCMs suggest that:
- The greatest increases in temperature will occur in the high latitudes, in winter, and over land;
- The results concerning precipitation are less clear; changes are likely to vary according to the region;
- Sea level is likely to rise, possibly by an average rate of about 5 cm per decade over the next 100 years, primarily due to the thermal expansion of water (steric expansion) and the melting of glaciers. There may be significant regional variations caused by the rise and fall of land masses.
- In addition, evidence suggests that extreme weather events (droughts, storms, floods, forest fires, ice jams, etc.) will be more frequent and more severe. This will have, and indeed may already be having, serious effects on Canadian ecosystems including economic and social impacts to which Canadians will have to adapt.
While these pages focus on the nature and effects of long-term temperature trends as predicted by the GCMs, the potential effects of increasing extreme events are more fully considered on other Environement Canada Websites.
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