Spring is arriving earlier, getting warmer data shows

(NewsNation) — If this winter seemed shorter than usual, you’re not wrong. Thanks to climate change, spring is getting both warmer and longer.

This year’s short winter and early spring is also influenced by a strong El Nino weather pattern, with the past winter the warmest one the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has documented in 130 years.

Data gathered by documenting how early trees begin to bloom shows trees are blooming an average of 13 days earlier than they were in 1981, 43 years ago.

While some may rejoice in leaving cold and snow behind, an earlier spring isn’t great news when it comes to the environment. A shortened winter can reduce the snowpack some areas rely on for water, change animals’ hibernation schedules and have economic consequences for areas that rely on cold-weather activities for revenue.

Spring isn’t just arriving earlier, it’s also warmer than it has been in the past. Data shows spring temperatures have risen 2.2F since 1970, with the biggest increases seen in the Southwest.

As with earlier spring, a warmer spring may seem like good news for people looking to soak up the sun but can have damaging consequences for ecosystems.

Those impacts include changes to agricultural seasons, earlier snow melt that impacts drinking water supplies and a longer allergy season.

Spring isn’t the only season warming. Scientists found 2023 was the warmest year on record since records have been kept and warn that without big changes, the Earth will pass a critical warming threshold in the next 10 years.

If the planet passes that tipping point, the Earth will see significant and potentially irreversible changes to the environment, including changes to habitable zones and dangerous extreme weather.