Climate change effects

 Climate change effects on Winters 

What comes to mind when you think about winter? Snowflakes? Mittens? Reindeer? In much of the Northern Hemisphere, winter means colder temperatures, shorter days and year-end holidays. Along with these changes, a growing body of research in psychology and related fields suggests that winter also brings some profound changes in how people think, feel and behave. Some of winter’s effects have been tied to cultural norms and practices, while others likely reflect our bodies’ innate biological responses to changing meteorological and ecological conditions. The natural and cultural changes which come with winter often occur simultaneously, making it challenging to tease apart the causes underlying these seasonal swings. 

Although climate change is largely bringing a rise in global average temperatures, it also makes local weather patterns, including winter weather, more erratic. Though this past winter was unusually warm, climate change, in some areas, is and will continue to bring more frequent and severe snowfall and extreme temperatures. In order to protect residents, especially historically marginalized communities which often bear the brunt of the effects of climate change, it’s important for urban, suburban and rural communities alike to adapt to and mitigate the effects of these changes.

In winters we observe a day when earth’s Northern Hemisphere will be at its greatest tilt from the sun, marking the winter solstice: the shortest day of the year and the official start of the coldest season. But winter is warming rapidly because of human-caused climate change and it’s having an impact on snow, tourism, winter sports, local economies, dinner plates and even allergies. The winter period from December to February is now the fastest-warming of the three-month seasons for nearly 75% of the US, according to NOAA temperature data by Climate Central. The analysis looked at average winter temperatures for 240 locations across the US and found the winter warming trend covers every corner of the map — temperatures had warmed in 97%, or 233, of the spots since 1970. 

Climate change’s disruptions of local weather patterns in the winter can result in heavy snowfall and bitter cold snaps in many areas of the US. These conditions present dangers to public health, even beyond hypothermia rates; a study found that, between 1985 and 2006, over 5% of temperature-related deaths in the US were due to winter weather, compared to less than 0.5% for extreme heat events. Historically marginalized communities are much more likely to experience the most severe impacts of climate change in winter weather, due to a legacy of systemic inequities. For example, during the polar vortex that Texas experienced in 2021, Black and Latino communities were the first to be afflicted by the rolling blackouts that affected the state. Additionally, they were more likely to be located in close proximity to polluting industrial sites, which emitted air pollutants in bursts as power returned.

Winter temperatures increased by 3.8 degrees Fahrenheit on average since 1970. Winters in the fastest-warming cities have warmed by as much as 7 degrees. The Northeast and Upper Midwest are the regions warming fastest, and are running a nearly 5-degree winter fever. This includes some ski towns like Burlington, Vermont, (7.7 degree increase) and Concord, New Hampshire (6.6 degree increase). Winter in notoriously cold Milwaukee is now 6.7 degrees warmer on average. 

For many, a little extra winter warmth may sound nice. But milder winters come with consequences. Humans, special as we may be, are not unique in showing some of these seasonally linked changes. For instance, our primate relative the Rhesus macaque shows seasonal declines in mood. “Wintertime plays important roles in the life cycles of plants, animals, and insects, the recharging of freshwater supplies, and sustaining snow and ice for winter recreation, which supports local economies. A warmer winter doesn’t mean it’s sweltering like summer all season long, there will still be cold days in a warmer climate. But the cold of winter will become less frequent and less extreme. As average temperatures rise, it will leave less room for extreme cold swings. Plus, because marginalized communities often live in energy-inefficient housing (where physical infrastructure like insulation is lacking) due to practices like redlining, they tend to experience disproportionately high energy burdens and are forced to spend significant portions of their income on energy bills.

 Cold snaps across the US are now an average of six days shorter than they were in 1970, Climate Central’s data shows. And though cold temperatures will still occasionally set records, they are far more likely to be outpaced by warm records. Overnight minimum temperatures are warming faster in winter than in any other season since records began in 1896. Winter’s overnight temperatures have been warming at a rate of 1.78 degrees per century since 1900, 25% faster than the rate for winter’s daytime highs, according to reports. The smart growth movement helps to create communities that are equitable, connected, and resilient. By promoting dense, mixed-use, walkable, and transit-oriented development patterns, smart growth preserves green space and natural areas that can help filter out pollutants like those released during the Texas blackouts. Smart growth can also alleviate some of the chronic health problems that disproportionately impact different communities and are exacerbated by winter conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular issues, by promoting active transportation. This both directly improves physical health at an individual level and improves ambient air quality by reducing automobile use.

The effects of harsher winters can be exacerbated by some communities’ land use policies. Restrictive zoning regulations that create and maintain sprawling, low-density land use centered on detached single-family housing force people to travel farther to reach daily needs and amenities. In the winter, that means people are exposed to winter weather conditions for longer. And, because these pro-sprawl policies have made and continue to make housing unaffordable, more people end up without access to safe, quality housing. These groups are among the most vulnerable to the effects of winter weather, especially because adequate shelter and resources are not universally available, particularly in rural areas.

 Reno, Nevada, now has 91 fewer freezing nights each year on average, losing more than any other location the list. Cities in Nevada, Arizona, California and Florida that used to see an occasional night below freezing no longer feel the chill at all. There are double the warm temperature records as cold ones in 2023. At night, the discrepancy grows, and there is triple the number of record warm low temperatures compared to record cold ones. A separate Climate Central analysis of overnight low temperatures at 231 US locations found 88%, or 204 cities, experienced a long-term decrease in the average number of freezing nights each year since 1970. To protect residents, zoning codes can be reformed to encourage dense, mixed-use, and multi-family communities. When friends, family, jobs, and amenities are located nearer to where people live, they spend less time exposed to winter conditions when traveling to them. And, because housing units in multifamily buildings tend to be smaller and share walls, ceilings and floors, they have less space requiring heating and are better insulated from the cold air outside.

Even cities known for cold outbreaks, like Buffalo, New York, Chicago, New York City, Boston and Detroit, now no longer experience two-to-three weeks’ worth of freezing nights each year. These changes are bad news for several industries that rely on a predictable chill. A study by the International Olympic Committee found rising temperatures may cause ski season to “start up to a month later and finish up to three months earlier,” a finding that threatens to take $1 billion out of the US economy, according to a 2018 study by the climate advocacy group POW and REI. For example, viable chill time in California’s fertile Central Valley, where 40% of the US’ fruits and nuts are grown, could drop by 25% by the end of the 21st century. On US farms, the $27 billion fruit and nut industry is losing out on chilling time as winters warm, a necessary exposure for the crops to chilly temperatures which allows them to properly bloom in the spring, another Climate Central analysis found. With less chill time, there could be less produce like walnuts, pistachios, and cherries to go around, and what’s left is more likely to be of poorer quality, the USDA said. 

Winter weather already impacts many communities’ transportation infrastructure. In some areas, car-centric transport systems are justified partly due to the notion that driving in the winter is safer than walking, biking, or using public transit. However, traveling by active and public transportation is usually dangerous because of inadequate infrastructure, not because of winter conditions. For example, small sidewalks and a lack of bike lanes force people walking or biking into close proximity with vehicles, which, although dangerous year round, is especially hazardous in the winter when visibility may be limited. Infrequent or non existent public transit and unsheltered transit stops expose users to winter weather for long, potentially dangerous periods of time. These dangers are amplified by policies which prioritize the clearing of snow from roads while leaving sidewalks, transit stops, and micromobility stations covered. 

That, of course, could lead to impacts for food companies, as well as increased food prices which can contribute to or worsen food insecurity. The warmer, longer growing season also increases exposure to pests and pollen, worsening allergies. Worse yet, for winter lovers: The season of sniffles and sneezes will also be here sooner than you might expect, warming winters are causing spring to start weeks ahead of schedule. Like many other animals, we too are seasonal creatures. In the winter, people eat more, move less and mate more. You may feel a bit more glum, while also being kinder to others and having an easier time paying attention. As per research these kinds of seasonal effects, might change with rise in temperatures. Some scientists have noted that there are many parallels to hibernation, the long snooze during which brown bears, ground squirrels and many other species turn down their metabolism and skip out on the worst of winter. Seasonal affective disorder might have its affects on the wild life also.