Here are examples of what we are already oberving
Temperature
The average air temperature recorded in January, February and March at the Environment Canada weather station in Bas-Caraquet has increased by about 3°C from 1985 to 2011.
Quarterly average temperatures (January, February, March) recorded at the Environment Canada weather station in Bas-Caraquet, NB. The graph shows a significant increase of about 3°C in winter air temperature over a 26-year period.
Sea level
The average sea level has increased by 10 cm from 1973 to 2011 in Escuminac where the tide gauge closest to the Acadian Peninsula is located.
Average water level heights recorded by the tide gauge in Escuminac, New Brunswick (Environment Canada) showing a highly significant increase of 10 cm since 1973.
Storms
The January 2000 storm prompted the evacuation of several homes, flooded roads resulted in property damage and caused salt water to seep into wells.
In Le Goulet, flooding took place in 2000 and 2010. In 2000, close to 30 homes and wells were damaged by salt water infiltration. A road was closed and residents had to be evacuated from their homes.
Other storms since that time, such as the ones back in December 2010, have also caused flooding, damage and erosion in several locations in the Acadian Peninsula.
Erosion
The average erosion rates along the shores of the Acadian Peninsula vary according to the type of coast and wave exposure.
Beaches: 0.32 to 1.01 m/year
Dunes: 0.35 to 1.2 m/year
Cliffs: 0.18 to 1.17 m/year
The «Facterie à Bastien beach» in Rivière-du-Portage receded 22 m from 2007 to 2012. It is one of the areas in the Acadian Peninsula where erosion rates are the highest. Photo and data by Dominique Bérubé, New Brunswick Department of Energy and Resource Development.
Shoreline movement
View examples of shoreline movement in the Acadian Peninsula between 1944 and 2012. Move the arrows!
Caraquet
Pigeon Hill
Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphaël
Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphaël
Anse-Bleue
Chemin des chalets, Maisonnette
Dune de Maisonnette
Sources:
Stervinou, V., Mayrand, E.,Chouinard, O. et Thiombiano, A. N. 2013. La perception des changements environnementaux : le cas de la collectivité côtière de Shippagan (Nouveau-Brunswick, Canada). VertigO - la revue électronique en sciences de l'environnement [En ligne], Volume 13 Numéro 1. URL : http://vertigo.revues.org/13482 ; DOI : 10.4000/vertigo.13482.
Department of the Environment and Local Government, 2017. Coastal erosion. http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/elg/environment/content/climate_change/content/climate_change_indicators/indicators/water/coastal_erosion.html.
Stervinou, V., Mayrand, E.,Chouinard, O. et Thiombiano, A. N. 2013. La perception des changements environnementaux : le cas de la collectivité côtière de Shippagan (Nouveau-Brunswick, Canada). VertigO - la revue électronique en sciences de l'environnement [En ligne], Volume 13 Numéro 1. URL : http://vertigo.revues.org/13482 ; DOI : 10.4000/vertigo.13482.
Department of the Environment and Local Government, 2017. Coastal erosion. http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/elg/environment/content/climate_change/content/climate_change_indicators/indicators/water/coastal_erosion.html.