The Weather Network: Edmonton and Calgary see hottest July on record

Beyond extreme weather, pushing global average temperatures past 1.5 C would have serious impacts on sea-level rise, and could possibly start triggering climate tipping points, such as the irreversible melt of the Arctic permafrost or a change in major ocean currents that regulate global weather.

These major impacts would not be seen if only a few years temporarily crossed the 1.5 C threshold.

Alex Crawford, an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, specializes in Arctic climate change. He said local records can help bring awareness to the issue of climate change.

To read more from Alex Crawford, please visit The Weather Network.