This predicted change should be taken into account in environmental assessments and in design of long-term structures. Climate Model Predictions for the Yukon Climate models consistently predict increases in temperatures year-round and increases in snow for the Yukon. Winters are predicted to warm more than summers, with the winter warming being greater the farther north you go. Conversely, because of the moderating effect of the Beaufort Sea, summers are predicted to warm up more in the south and central Yukon than in the north. Predictions for precipitation are considered to be more uncertain than predictions for temperature change.
Most models predict little change in average summer precipitation levels.
More and bigger storms are predicted for the Yukon - both winter storms and heavy summer rainfall storms, with more thunder and lightning. Climate change is something that we have to start thinking about in our planning and assessment. The main driving force is greenhouse gas increase. Ice-core records show a good linkage between temperature and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Models of the earth's atmosphere and circulation patterns give varying predictions of the effects of increases in greenhouse gases, and the predictions also are different for different regions.