Royal Saskatchewan Museum: Galleries & Exhibits: Archived Exhibits: Weather

Archived Exhibits: Weather - on the record

'Weather - On the Record' exhibit in the RSM lobby

This lobby exhibit (on display from February 23rd to April 17th, 2006) discussed today's weather, global climate over the last 400 million years, and the tools used today to learn more. It presented scientific data, interesting weather instruments, fossils, and fascinating facts and folklore about the weather.

Recording and Reporting the Weather

piece of equipment Environment Canada uses to record weather data
Any guesses what this piece of equipment from Environment Canada records?

This exhibit had something for everyone. It showed modern and antique instruments (provided courtesy of Environment Canada) that are used to record the weather, both past and present. In addition, the exhibit had a lot of information about the methods and terminology used in meteorology.

Weather reporting in Saskatchewan dates back to the 1880s. In this exhibit, visitors were able to learn about major weather events from the past century, fun folklore about the weather, and some major climate trends that are predicted for the future.

Past Climates

Climate trends can be derived from scientific data that are being gathered here at home and abroad. Tree-ring analysis and data extracted from lake sediments are two fields of study that occur in Saskatchewan and are examined in the exhibit. Polar and glacial ice samples contain gases that can provide information about the global climate up to 900,000 years ago. This information can be used to model climate trends for the future.

Scientists also study past climates by examining the fossil record. Plant and animal fossils from the Ordovician, Cretaceous, and Tertiary periods in Saskatchewan provide valuable evidence that our province was a very different place during these periods.

fossil leaf, palm seed and an early type of snail
Fossils provide many clues about the ancient climates in Saskatchewan.

ice core, copyright: L. Augustin, LGGE, Grenoble, France
Click here to see what scientists are learning about our climate from 400,000 year old Antarctic ice. (Copyright: L. Augustin, LGGE, Grenoble, France)

For further information contact the Exhibits Unit

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