Latest news with #AccumulatedWinterSeasonSeverityIndex
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Farmers sound the alarm after months of weird weather throws crops off track: 'We'll just keep our fingers crossed'
Wisconsin farmers are concerned about how a lack of winter snow will impact their harvests this year. A drop in snowfall for the season is something they may have to get used to in the future, however. Eagle River in northern Wisconsin is known as the "Snowmobile Capital of the World" because of its hundreds of miles of trails. The town, like much of Wisconsin this past winter, came up short on snowfall compared to average. Eagle River ended up with nearly 10 inches of snow less than average during the winter of 2024-2025. That represents a reduction of around 20% of the average for a winter there. The Badger State had its 34th-warmest and 18th-driest winter on record. That led to a drop in snowfall compared to the average for most of the state. Southern Wisconsin was hit the hardest, with most of that portion of the state seeing between 25% to 75% of average seasonal snowfall. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report revealed that just over 50% of the state was in a moderate drought. Winter snowfall is particularly important for strawberry farmers. They count on snow to cover their crops, protecting the burgeoning sweet fruit from extreme weather. "It's been a really unusual year. I can't point to a year that I can remember where it was just like this," Kerry Bruntz, farmer and owner of SunnyHill Farm in Green Bay, told Spectrum News 1. "The snow acts as insulation for a crop like strawberries, that needs to lay dormant over the winter and then come back to life. Without that insulation, the crop could potentially be harmed by severe cold weather. We're hoping. But again, we'll have to wait and see if there was anything, any harm. We'll just keep our fingers crossed." The Midwest Regional Climate Center uses its Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index to track the severity of winters across the country. All nine of the locations it monitors in Wisconsin experienced a "mild" winter, the least extreme of the five categories the index considers. A Climate Central analysis of snowfall trends for over 2,000 locations in the United States found that nearly two-thirds (64%) now get less snow than in the early 1970s. Snow plays a crucial role in keeping our planet cooler. The lack of the white stuff also has implications for water supplies in our country because it accounts for over 50% of the runoff that refills reservoirs and replenishes groundwater in the western U.S. In addition to having impacts on farmers, Wisconsin's economy takes a hit when snow comes up short. The outdoor recreation industry, including winter sports, boosts the state's economy by $11.2 billion annually. Wisconsin isn't the only place in the Upper Midwest that faced a snowfall shortage. As of the first week of March, Fargo, North Dakota, had received just under 20 inches of snow so far this snow season, about half of the normal number through that time of the year. What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time Not enough space It seems too hard I have a garden already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. A shift in snowpack levels in the Sierra Nevada this winter is disconcerting because the region's snowpack supplies nearly 30% of the state's water needs. To cool our planet, we must drastically reduce the amount of heat-trapping gases released into the atmosphere by the burning of dirty fuels. To this end, we can help by becoming informed about critical climate issues, talking to family and friends about what is happening, and advocating for change and a shift to renewable energy sources. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
US Winter 'Misery Index' Looks Upside Down, But That Could Change
If winter's cold and snow seems a little upside down so far this season, it's not your imagination. More harsh than usual: According to the Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) from the Midwest Regional Climate Center (MRCC), a strip of the central U.S. from eastern Kansas through the Appalachians of West Virginia, as well as parts of the Deep South from the northern Gulf Coast to the coastal Carolinas have had a severe or extreme winter, so far, through Feb. 19. These are shown by either blue or purple dots in the map below, respectively. Among those cities included Charleston, South Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; Mobile, Alabama; Pensacola, Florida; and Topeka, Kansas. A mild winter: In contrast, a swath of the nation's West, upper Midwest and northern New England have had a much milder than usual winter, so far. These are shown by red dots in the map above, including Caribou, Maine; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Madison, Wisconsin. What this index means: Also known as the "winter misery index", the AWSSI takes into account three factors: the intensity and persistence of cold weather, the frequency and amount of snowfall and the amount and persistence of snow on the ground. Wind and mixed precipitation, such as freezing rain, are not a part of the index. The index uses five categories – mild, moderate, average, severe and extreme – to rate the severity of winter weather in cities across the U.S. over an entire cold season. The higher the index, the more persistent snow and/or cold you've experienced. So, the map above looks flipped. The northern winter has been more "meh", while the South's winter has been rough, relatively speaking. (For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.) Why upside down? A parade of 10 winter storms since early January largely hammered the central and southern U.S. while only providing some glancing blows of snow to the northern tier of states. That included a trio of southern storms, Cora in the second week of January, then historic Enzo along the Gulf and Southeast coasts in late January, then Kingston over the past few days. After the last of these storms, America's snow cover was the most expansive it had been all winter, blanketing 57% of the Lower 48. In addition, blasts of cold air in January and mid-February surged into the Deep South, smashing hundreds of record lows, contributing to the higher misery indices, there. One strange record mild winter, so far: Salt Lake City, usually known for its snowy, cold winters, is having its mildest winter on record so far, as measured by this misery index. That's from a combination of warmth and lack of snow. It's been the Salt Lake Valley's 10th warmest winter to date, and their seasonal snowfall is only 9.2 inches, 30 inches below their average pace. Only 2014-15 (6.8 inches) was less snowy through Feb. 19. (Don't worry if you're looking to hit Utah's ski resorts, by the way. They have normal snowpack right now.)This probably won't stay upside down much longer: Don't expect the relatively snowless north to remain so into spring. That's because the storm track shifts northward in spring. So instead of shivering in bitter cold outbreaks with relatively little snow, the northern tier can warm up a bit, but still be cold enough for snow as low pressure systems tap deeper moisture track closer. As the map below shows, March is typically one of the two snowiest months of the year in parts of the High Plains and Rockies. The upper Midwest and Northeast certainly can get their fair share of winter storms in March, even April. (MORE: Which Month Is Usually Your Snowiest?) If your winter has been relatively boring, don't let your guard down. And if you're winter-weary in the South, there may still be some stubborn chill into March, but don't expect the parade of snowstorms we saw in January and February. Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.
