Sensing Climate Change

It may still feel like winter here in New England with temperatures stuck in the 40s but across the United States the telltale signs of spring are coming earlier as a result of global warming, according to an Associated Press article published in the Eagle Tribune.

And unlike other indicators of climate change such as melting glaciers, these can be felt by Americans with all five senses. We can see trees blooming quicker, smell flower fragrances sooner, hear the birds chirp earlier, suffer from increased allergies and taste the honey, which is reaching its peak production faster this spring, according to the article.

There may still be some snow on the ground this Easter up in southern New Hampshire (where I’m spending the holiday) but some of the bushes are already showing green leaves. Although northern New England may have just gone through some blizzard-like conditions setting a new seasonal snowfall record in Caribou, Maine, from cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., to heavy maple pollen in Philadelphia, the AP story shows spring is springing earlier in many parts of the United States.

So, have similar trends been seen in New England? According to New England Integrated Sciences and Assessment, the amount of time until lake ice-out has decreased by 20-30 days in the Boston area from 1971 to 2000, with less of a drop as one travels closer to Canada. Meanwhile, from 1971 to 2001, average seasonal snowfall plummeted more than 40 inches in some isolated pockets of New England (It should be noted, though, that places along the South Shore and in Rhode Island and Connecticut saw slight increases in snowfall during that time period.) And, sea level has risen approximately 9 inches in Boston since 1930, with slightly less dramatic changes observed along the Maine coast.

Ultimately, what does all this mean? According to the New England Climate Coalition, by 2100, Boston’s climate could resemble modern day Charlotte, N.C. or Atlanta. And that change could significantly hurt leaf peeping, skiing and maple syrup making in New England. Of course, the region could experience expanded golf and beach seasons.

To see and download in an Excel format additional climate change data from the New England Integrated Sciences and Assessment, check out this link.