David Phillips (climatologist)

Last updated
David Phillips
CM
David Phillips.jpg
Born
David Wayne Phillips

(1944-09-08) September 8, 1944 (age 80)
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater University of Windsor (BA)
Awards
Scientific career
Fields Climatology
Institutions Meteorological Service of Canada

David Wayne Phillips, CM (born 8 September 1944) is a climatologist who worked for the Meteorological Service of Canada at Environment Canada from 1967 to 2024. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Phillips was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, [2] studied geography at the University of Windsor, [3] graduating in 1967 with a BA.

Career

Phillips taught high school for a short time. [4] He was then hired by the Meteorological Branch of Transport Canada in 1967 to conduct research on the Great Lakes in Toronto. [5] [6] The work involved using climatological data to answer questions about climatic records: farmers asking for frost-free seasons or temperature trends, urban planners assessing the location for an airport or about the climatology of the wind for tall-buildings and more general public queries. [7]

In the 1990s Phillips was filmed by the Weather Network, which created a series of 90-second trivia shorts about various weather topics entitled "Ask the Expert". [4]

Phillips studies climate and promotes awareness and understanding of weather and climate in Canada. As a weather historian he has collected and catalogued more than 35,000 weather stories. [4] Each year since 1996 he has compiled a list and description of the year's most interesting weather stories. [8]

For nearly a decade he wrote the Weather-wise column in Canadian Geographic magazine. Each year he creates a calendar based on weather trivia. [9]

In September 2024, Phillips retired from Environment Canada after a 57-year career in the federal public service, but still continues to work under emeritus status. [10] As of 2025, Phillips continues to make frequent appearances on national radio and television including CP24, as a commentator on weather and climate matters. [4]

Awards

Publications

Phillips has authored several books, The Climates Of Canada and two bestsellers The Day Niagara Falls Ran Dry and Blame It On The Weather. Phillips published several essays in The Canadian Encyclopedia. He is also the author of The Canadian Weather Trivia Calendar. Among his work is the Climatic Severity Index, a ranking of 150 locations in Canada for their most extreme weather. [1] [7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "David Phillips Senior Climatologist" (PDF). Environment Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Canadian Who's Who Search. Grey House Publishing Canada.
  3. ↑ "David Phillips BA '66 :His Business Runs Hot and Cold". University of Windsor Alumni Achievements.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Dempsey, Amy. "A man for all seasons", Toronto Daily Star, January 16, 2015, extensive feature article on pages I1, I4, I5. Online version published as "We hate the weather, we love Dave Phillips".
  5. ↑ "Meet Canada's weatherman". The Western Producer. 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  6. ↑ "David Phillips: Taking a Look at the Sky". goodtimes.ca. September 2, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Envirozine (December 13, 2007). "Canada's Weather Guru: A Chat with David Phillips". Environment Canada . Retrieved 2008-10-19.[ dead link ]
  8. ↑ "Top Ten Weather Stories of 2013 released by Environment Canada". Global News, December 19, 2013 By Nicole Mortillaro
  9. ↑ "Interview with climatologist David Phillips". Radio Canada International, 2011.
  10. ↑ "'I didn't want to go cold turkey:' Environment Canada's David Phillips on why he keeps working after retirement". cp24.com. January 11, 2025.
  11. 1 2 University of Windsor (2012). "2012 Recipient of the Alumni Award of Merit". Archived from the original on 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
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