Lake Echo, Nova Scotia, Canada

Weather trend plots of observations since October 2015

This plots on this page are updated every month

Last updated 02 January 2024

These plots are interesting, but they should not be used as evidence for or against climate change. The results are not statistically significant. The accepted criterion is 20 years of data to look for climate signals. Otherwise, we have just sampled some inter-annual variability.

Climatology experts say we need 30 to 50 years to be sure, with 20 years considered a bare minimum. Also, global measurements are more stable than samples at any single location, making global signals more likely to be correct. Even global conditions are subject to several known periodic cycles, which need to be taken into account.

The bottom line: These plots do not mean much from a scientific point of view. Note that, generally speaking, an R² value close to 1.0 indicates a stronger relationship between the X and Y axis. With these plots, the R² value is quite low. Further explanation of these plots requires the expertise of a professional statistician.

The precipitation plots for December through March are omitted. This is because there is no automated way of measuring snowfall. Snow quantity varies dramatically depending on temperature, so it cannot be melted, with the water then mathematically equated to snow depth. Winter precipitation in Nova Scotia is a mixture of rain, various textures of snow, and freezing rain. As such, observations of precipitation during these months by automated weather stations are invalid.

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