The Okanagan Basin Water Board has launched the Okanagan Climate Indicators Dashboard to help track climate change in the valley.
The new website will display data collected over the last 100 years with temperatures, precipitation types, streamflow and lake inflows.
“We see a really consistent shift in the last 30 years to a warmer and drier climate,” said project lead Sandra Schia. Schia added that variability between hot and cold, and wet and dry seasons still exist.
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“It’s a lot less and the patterns are quite clear.”
OBWB Chair Blair Ireland noted that having this information can help farmers prepare for crops that will work with warmer and longer growing seasons. Based on the data, local governments can plan for warmer communities by planting trees to provide shade and creating cooling centers for vulnerable citizens.
The main purpose of the dashboard is to inform local lawmakers and residents about climate change and encourage people to work toward a more sustainable region.
The dashboard can be found online.