Student 'Climate Crusaders' to research Windsor weather extremes

Students across Windsor-Essex are teaming up to learn more about climate change.

It's part of a new program by the Catholic school board, called 'Climate Crusaders.' About 1,500 Grade 8 students will be gathering precipitation data which will be analyzed bySTEM (Science Technology Engineering Math)Academy students in cooperation with University of Windsor science students.

On Tuesday, students heard a special presentation from one of Canada's most trusted weather experts.

"95 per cent of the worlds scientists agree that the world is warming up faster and greater now than it has in a long time," Environment Canada climatologist Dave Phillips said tostudents, gathered at Holy Names Catholic High School. "It's real science."

He also told the kids aboutliving through a deadly tornado with his family many years ago in Essex County.

Phillips said he was excited about the program because it energizes students to get involved with climate science.

"I think it's very unique, I've never seen something like this before," he said.

Rising precipitation numbers

Phillips also noted it's a good time for the initiative because of the intense amount of rainfall the region has seen in recent years.

"We don't have really proper measurementsto be able to understand why we're seeing so much and where it's falling," he said, adding that the density of networks set up by students will be a valuable asset.

The average rainfall has increasedby23per cent over the last 10 to 15 years, Phillips said. The observations at the Windsor airport offer excellent insights into those numbers, becausedata has been collected there for more than 80 years with no gaps, he added.

"That rainfall record has taken off since these kids were born," he said. "We know the rainfall climatology has changed, but we don't know why."

Students also heard fromChris Houser, dean of science at the University of Windsor.

The Windsor Essex District Catholic School Board said the programwill help scientists by providing them with more comprehensive data about precipitation in the area.

Theyhope to break a Guinness World Record for the largest group of environmental data collectors.