Weather Eye with John Maunder

On July 1, 2016 (Canada Day) Canada Post unveiled five new stamps designed to showcase one of Canadians' most popular topics: the weather. The five stamps, issued to coincide with the 175th anniversary of continuous weather observing in Canada, feature weather phenomena in all their photographic splendour.

The five photographs come from every corner of Canada. Daryl Benson snapped hoar frost covering a tree near Beaumont, Alberta. Geoff Whiteway focused on hazy, early-morning fog at Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site in Newfoundland and Labrador. In Saint-Gideon, Quebec, Mike Grandmaison chased a rain shower to shoot a double rainbow, while Dave Reede captured radiant flashes of lightning near Winnipeg, Manitoba. Further north, in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Frank Reardon caught rarely witnessed sun dogs, created by ice crystals in the air, and posted the photograph on The Weather Network, where Canada Post discovered it.

'From coast-to-coast-to-coast Canada is known for its diversity, and weather is no exception. The images captured in weather wonders illustrate the natural beauty that can be seen across our country,” says the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, responsible for Canada Post.

'Canadians love to talk about the weather,” says Canada Post President and CEO Deepak Chopra. 'Our stamp programmme celebrates the people, stories and attributes that capture the Canadian experience and we can all reminisce on a special weather moment.”

Many countries (including New Zealand) have also published stamps relating to a weather/climate topic and a a Finish climatologist (Reino Heino) has made an in-depth study of this subject. Some of his research was published in 2008 in assocaiated with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU). The title of his book 'From Weather Gods to Modern Meteorology: A Philatelic Journey” is highly recommended. This book of meteorology-related stamps and postal history items, traces the development of weather-related activities, as illustrated in the philatelic pictorial material published by the postal administration of numerous countries.

For further information on a variety of weather topic see: https://sites.google.com/site/theweatherclimateeye/