Weather and Climate News

Cherry Blossoms in a Changing Climate

The blooming of the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin of Washington, D.C. is an annual rite of spring. During the period from 1981-2010, the average peak bloom date was April 1. This year, the National Park Service forecasts the blossoms to peak slightly earlier than average, between March 27-31. The warm February was the reason that both the

Projected Cherry Blossom Bloom Dates in a Warming World

While the climate continues to warm from the increase in greenhouse gases, the average date of the peak blooms will move even earlier in the year. One study, referenced by the NPS, was successfully used to forecast peak bloom dates retroactively from 1991-2010.

The 10 Hottest Global Years on Record

According to NOAA, 2017 finished as the third-warmest year globally since records began (NASA ranked it second-warmest). This is the warmest year on record without an El Niño in the Pacific Ocean, as neutral conditions existed in the Pacific until La Niña developed in the fall. Even so, the global ocean was still the third warmest on record, highl

2017 Was the Year of the Billion-Dollar Disaster

Rather than one type of event focused on one part of the country, this year’s disasters were spread over several regions. Climate change may have worsened some of the events this year, including drought in the northern Plains and wildfires in the West. In a warming world, soils dry out more from evaporation, making droughts worse and further drying

The Number and Cost of Weather Disasters is Increasing in the U.S.

Climate change is increasing the trend in weather and climate extremes in the U.S. A NOAA/NCEI report indicates that through September, the U.S. has had 15 individual billion-dollar weather disasters in 2017. Only 2011 had more billion-dollar disasters with 16, and that was through the entire year. Even without the final calculations from Harvey,

North American Snow Cover on the Decline

As the world warms, the overall area of North America covered by snow is decreasing. One reason is because an increasing percentage of winter precipitation is falling as rain instead of snow in many locations. A Climate Central report found that between sea level and 5,000 feet in elevation across the Western U.S., a smaller percentage of winter

Daily Record Highs are Dramatically Outpacing Daily Record Lows

Daily record highs are vastly outpacing daily record lows in the U.S. We will always have warm years and cold years, but in a world without global warming, those warm and cold years would balance over time. However, that’s not what we are seeing. According to the 2017 U.S. Climate Science Special Report, after a rigorous reanalysis of GHCN stations

Here’s Where Winters Are Warming the Most

Winters are warming across the U.S., and in some locations, the warming is dramatic. The Northern Plains, Great Lakes, and the Northeast are warming the fastest, while warming is taking place at a slower rate in the western U.S. In parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern New England winters have warmed at an average rate of more than 1°F per

See How Much Winters Have Been Warming in Your City

Winter is the fastest warming season in most of the country generally from the Front Range of the Rockies to the East Coast. The greatest warming along the northern states emphasizes a general rule of climate change — cold areas and seasons warm faster than areas and seasons that are already warm. But there are a few exceptions. Fall is warming the

Lake Effect Snow Season is Shifting and Contracting

Lake effect snow will still occur in a warming world, but by the late 21st century, we can expect a shortened lake effect snow season. Rather than peaking in fall and early winter, heavy lake effect snow would be pushed back later in the season, generally from January through March.

Summer is Lasting Longer Across the U.S.

While there is a lot of variation from year-to-year, that last summer-like day is coming later in the year for many of our U.S. cities. This effectively lengthens summer at the expense of the other seasons. Though the calendar continues to turn the same as ever, fall is arriving later while spring is arriving earlier on average — and in many

Summers Are Lengthening While Winters Shrink

While the West has been feeling the heat, fall-like temperatures dominated the eastern half of the country in August. But just as the calendar flips to astronomical fall, summer-like heat is making a return to many of those same places. So this week we examine the last annual occurrence of a hot, summer-like day in these U.S. cities.