Climate Dashboard by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Are the temperatures over the last few weeks normal? That’s the question the CBC News Climate Dashboard helps users answer by comparing the current forecast with historical data for around 500 locations across Canada.

The dashboard localizes and highlights important findings from large amounts of climate data so readers can easily get an overview of how temperatures are changing where they live. It aims to combine the utility of daily weather data with clear information on how it compares to larger trends.

Users can go beyond daily forecasts and dive deeper into seasonal and yearly trends. They can see how the number of days above 0 C in the winter or days about 30 C in the spring compare with historical data, or if the last 30 days were extremely hot compared to the historic average. The dashboard also provides projections for how much temperatures could increase in an area by 2100 based on different emissions scenarios.

The globe and records for the day at the top of the page give an overview of what’s happening across the country and provide real-time information on active forest fires and smoke.

The dashboard uses data from the Meteorological Service of Canada and Natural Resources Canada. A lot of effort was put into merging and cross-referencing a multitude of datasets to provide users with relevant information on different time scales: historical trends going back to the 1800s; real-time, hourly and daily forecasts; and long-term projections. Most of the information is available on different websites, in different formats. Canadians now have access to this information on one page, in a clearer and consistent manner

The project is constantly evolving. The dashboard currently focuses on temperatures, with layers on the globe also tracking active wildfires and smoke, but will soon expand to include other variables, like precipitation and winds.