From -50°F wind chills in the Midwest to exceptional snow in the Southwest, it’s been a winter of extremes. But in historical context, this winter was not exceptionally cold; nationally, December and January temperatures were warmer than the 20th century average. So why did people notice the cold so much? A recent study may have the answer, showing
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Which climate hazard is expected to intensify the fastest in your area?
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In the past six months, Florida has faced record high temperatures, abnormally toxic algal blooms, and the house-flattening winds of Hurricane Michael. California suffered its worst-ever wildfires, preceded by drought and followed by mudslides. Scientists may study climate change impacts separately, but their potential to strike together is clear.
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Hurricanes hit the U.S. especially hard, leading 2018’s near-record list of 14 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters. Hurricanes Michael and Florence combined for at least $49 billion in damages — over half of the total from the year’s included events (cost estimates will be updated over time). In addition, the Western wildfire season was
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A mid-winter cold snap has hit much of the country, but these episodes are becoming less frequent with climate change. Low temperatures and ample snowfall are a must for winter recreation — an industry that contributed more than $20 billion to the national economy in the 2015-2016 season. These conditions are under threat from warming winters,
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A mid-winter cold snap has hit much of the country, but these episodes are becoming less frequent with climate change. Low temperatures and ample snowfall are a must for winter recreation — an industry that contributed more than $20 billion to the national economy in the 2015-2016 season. These conditions are under threat from warming winters,
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We calculated the average annual temperatures at 244 individual U.S. stations throughout their periods of record, highlighted the decade in which each record hot year was established, and showed the breakdown of each station’s records by decade. Only one place in our sample had its hottest year on record in 2018 — Palm Springs, California. On the
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It’s that time of year when people are wondering about their chance for a white Christmas. Despite historic, early-season snow from Calgary, Alberta to Roanoke, Virginia, the overall snow-covered area in North America is shrinking as temperatures rise with climate change.
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Floodwaters surged through Boston streets during a March Nor’easter. Nearly 19,000 structures were destroyed in the Camp Fire, which became California’s largest-ever wildfire just months after the previous record blaze. Hurricanes Florence and Michael flooded farms and flattened homes. It has been another year of devastating extreme weather events,
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Fall is a season of transition and big swings in weather; snow has already fallen in the Front Range of the Rockies, while warm and humid conditions hung over the East Coast as recently as last week. As the climate changes, fall is not as cool as it used to be, and cooler weather is being delayed until later in the season. This change affects the
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Meteorological summer has been one of extremes in the U.S. Overall, the East has been wet while the West has baked in the heat. These types of extremes, which are set up by a consistent jet stream pattern, are amplified by a warming climate. Many locations in the Middle Atlantic, Ohio Valley, and Upper Midwest had one of their 10 wettest summers
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Each year, more than 49 million Americans fish recreationally in freshwater rivers and lakes. Some fish to relax, and some for the thrill. But in a changing climate, a new generation of anglers will have to get used to conditions far different from those of their parents and grandparents. Warming water in streams, rivers, and lakes is changing the
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