Day 2 of 2 for the #CatIQ Connect meeting in Toronto. Kathryn Bakos from the Intact Centre now speaking on the impacts of residential flooding on mental health. And their studies suggest those impacts are significant.

Now the student delegate presentations (they had to compete for funding to attend and present at CatIQ Connect). This is Yao Li from Western’s Northern Hail Project showing some initial results from his model to predict socioeconomic impacts from a hailstorm. That’s Jim Abraham doing the hosting.

Who would have thought that an EF4-rated tornado documented by the Northern Tornadoes Project in 2023 would inspire the classical piece ‘Didsbury for Viola Quartet’?? And it’s not the only piece inspired by NTP-investigated tornadoes (see below). #ArtMeetsScience

Day 1 of 2 for CatIQ Connect. A record number of catastrophes in 2025 were reviewed. Now hearing from Jeffery Hutchinson, ADM of Emergency Management with Public Safety Canada.

Bruce Springsteen releases a new protest song about Minnesota: 👏👏 Billy Bragg releases a new protest song about Minnesota: 👏👏✊✊ NOFX *comes out of retirement* to release a new protest song about Minnesota: 😲🤯💀🤘🤘🤘 youtu.be/sU6s6VEJxrU?...

Shocking, not shocking

After Greenland, Canada’s Arctic is in Play, Eddie Goldenberg, Martin Green & Hannah Thibedeau write nationalnewswatch.com/2026/01/28/a... #nationlnewswatch via @natnewswatch

The tangerine totalitarian's youngest crotchfruit salivating over Alberta:

Heads up! The deadline for applications for the 2026 Genesis Grant program has been extended until Friday, February 13, 2026. Hoping to see some really creative ideas this round💡

The Alberta separatist movement seemed to be nothing to worry about. Polling has continued to show little support for it there. But some ultraconservatives in the US, like Bannon, see this as an opportunity they need to make the most of. And some US politicians are falling in line. Time to worry.

The latest Environment Canada Winter Storm Warning for Toronto calls for up to 60cm of snowfall accumulation near Lake Ontario. This lake-effect band / lake enhancement is really living up to expectations! If this is an ‘orange’ warning, I guess you really don’t want to see a ‘red’ warning. #ONstorm

This innocent-looking band of lake-effect snow currently percolating over Lake Ontario will soon move north and west by an increasing ESE wind and will help to drop a lot of snow over the Toronto area. The warning says up to 40 cm. Thankfully happening on a Sunday. Good day to stay home! #ONstorm

So the other shoe drops. The orange despot has now had enough sycophants tell him that Carney has done bad things that he feels the need to act - so he's going for a 100% tariff. If anyone still thinks that a CUSMA/USMCA deal is still possible after this past week, they are as delusional as he is.

I've seen some #terriblemaps of southern Ontario, but these take the cake. From something called learnontario.ca. The first map has the Greater Toronto Area in Michigan. The second map has Windsor near Chicago, Barrie close to James Bay, and Ottawa deep into Quebec. #AIslop that needs removal asap.

Coldest temps of 2026 in Southern Ontario. As of 7 am, some -38 to -39C obs in northeastern sections. A -31C in the GTA(!) - at TRCA's 'LITTLE ROUGE AT 16TH' station. Even a -23C in Windsor(!). There is one -40C near Sudbury, but that's likely in Northern Ontario. Note - not wind chills values!

This recent interview with Rogers was a chance to get a bit more philosophical about the work I do, and why I do it. Lots of cheesy shots of me looking at a blue sky interspersed with footage of severe weather. And yes, they spelled tornadoes wrong on the graphic ;-) www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsTB...

The only map that matters

Just putting this here... Divorce, Canadian-style www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/o...

PM Carney just gave a barn-burner of a speech at Davos, and got a standing ovation - which is apparently not common there. He pretty much lays it on the line: democratic middle powers like Canada need to stick together now and not try to appease the US. Must watch: www.youtube.com/live/uStuQ-T...

The Toronto Star points out that the orange despot used AI to change this photo from a map of Ukraine to a map showing Canada and Greenland (and Venezuela) painted with the US flag. He's sending a message today to the European leaders in the photo, and to Canada. The downward spiral has begun...

Great to see the progress already towards a high-speed rail line in ON and QC. This interactive map provided by ALTO shows routes and stations under consideration (I didn't know there were two routes being considered in eastern ON), and allows feedback comments to be pinned to the map. Smart!

Introduce yourself with five bands / acts that you have seen live? Use #hashtags for other people to find you! #musicsky #CdnVersion #Rush x 8 #TeaParty x 10 #BigSugar x 7 #Rheostatics x 9 #SarahMcLachlan x 4

UK's The Guardian released their list of the top 25 best live albums and a lot of it is rubbish, as the Brits say ;-) Regardless of the genre, there is a real art to the live album. Only a small number of artists have managed to capture the magic - by design, or by dumb luck. Click for my Top 25

Sometimes, as Charles Dickens wrote, the law is an ass.

Agreed - several wins. Addresses affordability, encourages EV usage (and sends a signal to other automakers - as Ontario builds battery plants), possibility of Chinese auto plant in Canada, and Moe was there to ensure canola producers get a win. Carney as deal-maker gets a win as well. Beauty, eh?

Posting this again to start 2026 - and welcome to those new to Bluesky :-)

The rogue regime run by the orange menace removed the leader of the rogue regime in Venezuela to make it a client petrostate. Which in turn is an economic attack on Canada since it will serve to undermine our oil and gas exports. And all Canada can do is say ‘Please respect international law’.

At Toronto Pearson Airport, a dedicated team from Falcon Environmental uses a unique approach to keep the skies clear, featuring their star employee, Ivan the bald eagle. The Weather Network's Mark Robinson spoke to the experts about how they use falconry to protect both passengers and wildlife.

Wow - Narduar is so fringe that I never thought I'd see him be awarded The Order of Canada. Congrats to #Narduar, the new Canadian icon! :-)

For Blue Rodeo fans - a real rarity. A haunting rendition of Neil Young's "I've Been Waiting for You", with background vocals by Montreal's famed McGarrigle sisters, Kate and Anne. Recorded for a Neil Young tribute album called Borrowed Tunes (essential listening!). www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdfe...

Rapidly deepening low pressure system dragging mild Gulf of Mexico air over parts of southern Ontario. At midnight, London is 11C and Sarnia is 14C, thankfully melting accreted ice on trees, etc. Will be a much different story tomorrow with near-blizzard conditions. #ONstorm

Another thunderstorm, coming ashore off Lake Huron. Lightning likely wind turbine initiated. But the storm is elevated and unlikely to generate any severe weather aside from heavy rain. #ONstorm

Thunder reported with this compact storm moving into southwestern Ontario. Just one more weather type affecting the province right now. Northbound Hwy 400 north of Toronto currently closed due to multiple collisions with icy roads. #ONstorm

War is over - if you want it. Watch the film and work for peace.

🧵Just finished reading Robbie Robertson's autobiography 'Testimony' - again. IMHO, the best music autobiography there is, and I've read many. An incredible story of four southern Ontario boys, and a wayward Arkansan, shaking the foundations of popular music, then going out with a glorious bang.

I’ve seen AI chatbots hallucinate references to non-existent journal papers, even under my own name. But I never considered that someone might actually cite such a paper without looking for it. This is literally insane. The whole scientific publishing ‘house of cards’ is about to come crashing down.

Sudden snow squall coming through the #LdnOnt area. Lots of blowing snow, and greatly reduced visibility. Take care out there! #ONstorm

Environment Canada’s Top 10 weather stories for 2025 is out, and a few thunderstorm-related events that were investigated by the Northern Tornadoes Project made the list. Check it out :-) #BlueskyWx www.canada.ca/en/environme...

The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs Program allows us to welcome outstanding, internationally based researchers to #WesternU to tackle some of today’s most pressing challenges. We look forward to connecting with scholars who are ready to go #AllinWesternU. www.uwo.ca/research/can...

So the snow squall that was supposed to set up west of #LdnOnt seems to have locked in over the city, at least for now. Some impressive snowfall rates here, on top of all the snow we already have. It's been a very snowy December here! #ONstorm

Hey, check out Bryan Adams' A Great Big Holiday Jam with Alan Doyle, Alessia Cara, Barenaked Ladies, Sheepdogs, Lights & Kendel Carson. What makes it great? It really is a jam - loose and fun, and poignant at times. Plus a great video version you can watch on City-TV. platoon.lnk.to/a-great-big-...

The events of 2025 have led to unprecedented editorials like this one. To say Canadians are nervous about what 2026 will bring is a serious understatement. www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...

OK, now imagine that this is Canadian oil on its way to China. But the US wants all of Canada's oil for itself. Add in some bombing of 'drug boats' off our coasts to add to the pressure campaign. Are we that far away from such a reality, given the new National Security Strategy from Washington?

Wow, I may actually live to see high-speed rail in Canada, after decades of empty promises. Just a 200 km stretch by 2037, but hey - gotta start somewhere I guess. Even if the plan was only for our VIA Rail to have working engines and its own tracks (not shared with CN), it would be a huge victory.

Back to a Winter Wonderland in Londontario :-)

With Rheostatics' release of #GreatLakesSuite recently, I'm wondering how many bands/songs/albums prior to that release have a reference to a Great Lake. I can think of a few - Blue Rodeo's Hasn't Hit Me Yet, Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot and of course #GreatLakesSwimmers. More?

Pull out the outdoor lights - sections not working. Put up the ever-so-convenient pre-lit tree. Section of lights not working. Two hours, four Youtube videos and $40 on a tester tool later, still not working. Who designed these things?? Back at it tomorrow. Feliz Navidad.

Caught my eye while doing some Google Earth surfing this morning. Guesses on where and what this is? Clue: it's in Canada.

We've lost a Canadian-born architectural giant, but at 96 he certainly lived a full life and created a lasting legacy. PM Carney: "Frank Gehry was an architectural icon whose bold designs have shaped cityscapes all over the world." RIP www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...