Environmental Thematic Maps and Graphics:
Annual precipitation change, by ecoprovince, 1979 to 2016

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Map: Annual precipitation change, by ecoprovince, 1979 to 2016

Description for Map

The title of this map is “Annual precipitation change, by ecoprovince, 1979 to 2016.” This map provides a visual representation of the change in average annual precipitation in Canada, by ecoprovince, over the time period from 1979 to 2016.

On the page, there is one large map of Canada, a legend to the upper right and a scale bar below. The map delineates ecoprovinces with a thin black boundary line and ecoprovinces are labeled with a code. Fine black dashed lines show provincial and territorial boundaries. Below the map, ecoprovince codes and their corresponding names are listed for reference.

The map shows the change in precipitation trends through a colour range of browns and teals. Decrease in precipitation is shown through shades of brown, while increase in precipitation is shown through shades of teal. Grey diagonal hatching is used to indicate ecoprovinces where trends are not significant at the 90% confidence interval or above.

The unit of measurement is millimetres (mm). The legend contains six precipitation categories: greater than or equal to 60 (dark teal), 25 to less than 60 (teal), 0 to less than 25 (light aqua), -10 to less than 0 (beige), -75 to less than -10 (tan), and less than -75 (brown).

The map shows varying trends in annual precipitation from 1979 to 2016. Annual average precipitation has increased in much of southern Canada, and northwestern Canada and decreased in much of northern Canada, and the east coast and west coast. The ecoprovinces with the greatest increase in precipitation include 10.2, 09.3, 10.1, 06.5, 06.2, 06.6, and 08.1. The ecoprovinces with the greatest decrease in precipitation include 05.3, 02.6 and 01.2.

Notes: Statistically significant linear trends are presented at the 90% confidence interval or above. Caution should be used when analyzing trends in the North because of lower climate station densities.

Sources:
Statistics Canada, Environment and Energy Statistics Division (EESD), 2021, special tabulation based on Wang, S., Y. Yang, Y. Luo and A. Rivera, 2013, “Spatial and seasonal variations in evapotranspiration over Canada's landmass,” Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol. 17, no. 9, pp. 3561-3575, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3561-2013 (accessed December 1, 2020);
Wang, S., et al., 2014, “A national-scale assessment of long-term water budget closures for Canada’s watersheds,” Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 119, pp. 8712–8725, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD021951 (accessed February 1, 2021).

Legend
Precipitation change, 1979 to 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Precipitation change. The information is grouped by Colour (appearing as row headers), Precipitation change (mm) (appearing as column headers).
Colour	Precipitation change (mm)
Dark teal	Greater than or equal to 60
Teal	25 to less than 60
Light aqua	0 to less than 25
Beige	-10 to less than 0
Tan	-75 to less than -10
Brown	Less than -75
Grey lines	Trend not statistically significant
Shape	Boundary
Dashed line	Province/territory
Black outline	Ecoprovince

Data
Annual precipitation change, 1979 to 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Annual precipitation change. The information is grouped by Code (appearing as row headers), Ecoprovince and Precipitation change, calculated using mm units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Code	Ecoprovince	Precipitation change
Code	Ecoprovince	mm
1.1	Northern Arctic Cordillera	4.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
1.2	Southern Arctic Cordillera	-99.9^Note *
2.1	Sverdrup Islands	5.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
2.2	Ellesmere Basin	-0.5^{Note E: Use with caution}
2.3	Victoria Lowlands	-2.9^{Note E: Use with caution}
2.4	Parry Channel Plateau	-0.8^{Note E: Use with caution}
2.5	Boothia–Foxe Shield	-31.1^Note *
2.6	Baffin Uplands	-77.2^Note *
2.7	Foxe–Boothia Lowlands	-4.8^{Note E: Use with caution}
3.1	Amundsen Lowlands	-9.8^{Note E: Use with caution}
3.2	Keewatin Lowlands	-3.9^{Note E: Use with caution}
3.3	Ungava–Belcher	-33.4^{Note E: Use with caution}
4.1	Mackenzie Foothills	37.5^{Note E: Use with caution}
4.2	Great Bear Lowlands	7.4^{Note E: Use with caution}
4.3	Hay–Slave Lowlands	24.6^{Note E: Use with caution}
5.1	Western Taiga Shield	-10.0^{Note E: Use with caution}
5.2	Eastern Taiga	-74.9^{Note E: Use with caution}
5.3	Labrador Uplands	-98.2^Note *
5.4	Whale River Lowland	-43.1^{Note E: Use with caution}
6.1	Western Boreal Shield	39.2^Note **
6.2	Mid-Boreal Shield	60.7^Note **
6.3	Eastern Boreal Shield	-75.2^{Note E: Use with caution}
6.4	Newfoundland	-125.0^Note *
6.5	Lake of the Woods	122.5^Note *
6.6	Southern Boreal Shield	66.1^Note *
7.1	Appalachian–Acadian Highlands	107.4^{Note E: Use with caution}
7.2	Northumberland Lowlands	58.3^{Note E: Use with caution}
7.3	Fundy Uplands	-0.9^{Note E: Use with caution}
8.1	Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands	77.0^Note **
8.2	Huron–Erie Plains	-29.1^{Note E: Use with caution}
9.1	Boreal Foothills	-12.0^{Note E: Use with caution}
9.2	Central Boreal Plains	34.1^{Note E: Use with caution}
9.3	Eastern Boreal Plains	105.0^Note *
10.1	Eastern Prairies	135.2^Note *
10.2	Parkland Prairies	67.1^Note *
10.3	Central Grassland	55.7^Note **
11.1	Northern Yukon Mountains	15.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
11.2	Old Crow–Eagle Plains	-2.0^{Note E: Use with caution}
11.3	Ogilvie Mountains	5.2^{Note E: Use with caution}
11.4	Mackenzie–Selwyn Mountains	44.3^Note *
12.1	Wrangel Mountains	-130.9^Note *
12.2	Northern Boreal Cordillera	28.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
12.3	Southern Boreal Cordillera	27.0^{Note E: Use with caution}
12.4	Western Boreal Cordillera	-23.5^{Note E: Use with caution}
13.1	Georgia Depression	-23.2^{Note E: Use with caution}
13.2	Southern Coastal Mountains	-77.1^{Note E: Use with caution}
13.3	Northern Coastal Mountains	-3.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
14.1	Northern Montane Cordillera	35.2^Note *
14.2	Central Montane Cordillera	-0.1^{Note E: Use with caution}
14.3	Southern Montane Cordillera	-38.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
14.4	Columbia Montane Cordillera	-95.9^{Note E: Use with caution}
15.1	Hudson Bay Coastal Plains	-13.7^{Note E: Use with caution}
15.2	Hudson–James Lowlands	16.6^{Note E: Use with caution}
^E use with caution Note * significantly different from reference category (p < 0.05) Return to note * referrer Note significantly different from reference category (p < 0.10) Return to note referrer

Date modified:: 2022-01-25

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Environmental Thematic Maps and Graphics:
Annual precipitation change, by ecoprovince, 1979 to 2016

Archived Content

Environmental Thematic Maps and Graphics: Annual precipitation change, by ecoprovince, 1979 to 2016

Archived Content

Environmental Thematic Maps and Graphics:
Annual precipitation change, by ecoprovince, 1979 to 2016