So I've just looked up and compared the climates of St. John's, Newfoundland and Nuuk, Greenland. I see only two issues that might come with the upcoming analysis. One is that of course the climate and temperature might be very different from how it was seven hundred or so years ago; however, I think it's actually not an issue. Today's climate is comparable to the climate just before the Little Ice Age that began in the mid-1300's, and in any case seven hundred years are not enough for any radical changes such as tectonic shifts, seabed movements, and warm sea currents to change. The second issue is that Nuuk is a bit further north than the Eastern Settlement of Greenland was, but--I mean, it's Greenland, how different can it be?
So, Newfoundland is about 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer on average (month to month daily mean, daily high, daily low, and the total yearly average) than Greenland, has more daylight hours, and has about twice as much precipitation overall. Of course more sunlight and warmer temperatures is good, but the Norse--who are so used to dryer Greenland--might not like the rain of Newfoundland. However, precipitation = less penetrating wind = more secure turf houses. Grasses will grow very fast, and so the Norse agricultural system of mainly baling hay to feed the animals they eat, and hunting birds, reindeer, and seals, and cutting up beached whales for food, can easily be continued.
In fact, it seems as though Newfoundland is a lot better for them, and will lead to an easier life, than Greenland. There's also plenty of timber about, which is a resource that the Greenlanders were sorely lacking. So instead of stinky wet peat fires that required a lot of energy input to acquire, they'll have warm roaring wood fires that are more efficient. This also means extra turves for non-wooden houses.
The only problem I really see with the new Vinlanders' well being and way of life, other than possible Native American animosity, is a reduction in sailing and a dependency on land travel. I think that, within a generation, they would become relatively grounded, with rounding the island and crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence perhaps being viewed as accomplishments; a small thing compared to crossing the Atlantic, or the freezing iceberg-filled waters of Baffin Bay. This is because the Atlantic is relatively choppy and stormy, and the new Vinlanders have neither the need nor the inclination to build deep-drafted boats. Shipbuilding might become all but unknown within two generations. Also, lack of contact with the Church means earlier independence from Rome? I think so.
Now, I want to know where Newfoundland stands in terms of ore deposits. If the Norse can find iron, then they have an enormous, ludicrous advantage over the Native Americans.
So, what do you all think of this analysis?