Show of Hands

Are you a farmer?

I grew up on a farm and my Mom and her boyfriend live on a farm. I live in a small rural community in Wisconsin.

Interesting. Have you heard any farmers commenting on this at all? I hear a lot of laypeople saying it, but obviously it affects the agriculture industry directly.

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A lot more rain and flooding.

We don’t see much more over here because I’m on the lake. It’s the lake effect snow that was much more noticeable when I was younger. 🌨❄️☃️⛄️🌬

Where are you located?

I’m by Milwaukee

you?

Mostly NYC, partially LA. I’m a bicoastal elitist. 😀

Hahaha you go, glen coco. 💩😈

By your tagline I assume you’re near Seattle. Assuming that’s you in the profile picture I’m guessing you remember the 1990s. Wasn’t the Pacific Northwest a lot rainier and cooler back then? I have a lot of friends in that area and the heat, dryness, and droughts of the last several years are things they talk about frequently.

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Maybe, I wasn’t here in the 1990s, but I was here in the 1970s and 80s, and I don’t notice much difference between the last fifteen years or so, and back then. More tellingly, it seems like the records that have been broken/set in the last few years often replaced extremes recorded back in the 1950s. I wasn’t here then either, but my point is that climate involves subtle changes over many years, while the weather, here anyway, is heavily influenced by Pacific Ocean currents and temperatures (El Niño and La Niña), and varies significantly year to year, sometimes warmer or cooler, drier or wetter. A few years ago we had a very wintery winter, with more snow on the ground than any but the oldest old timers remember. This year we got our very first snow of the season last night, about halfway through winter. Not sure that means a thing, climate wise.

The main one being that the rainy season in southern Cali is now 1-2 months later than it used to be.

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Mind if I ask?... where are you located?

Southern California (Orange County)

In Alabama it may be a different story. I’m in New York right now. Today it’s 65 degrees warmer than it was four days ago. A 65 degree shift in February is extremely unusual for NYC.

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Correct. A polar vortex swooped down from the Arctic bringing really cold weather. Now that it has passed, you are enjoying “God’s Grace”.

Single digits in February in the northeast isn’t unusual. The anomaly is for it to be 60+ degrees here in February. At least, for generations, that would have been an anomaly, but it’s happened consistently the last 2-3 years. Why is the aberration becoming the new normal?

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Winter has changed where I live. Traditionally, February has always been deep winter here. A heavy coat was always required for the entire month of February (and winter in general). In 2018 there was at least one day per month where I could go outside without a coat on and feel comfortable.

Four days ago we hit a low of 5° F. Today we broke 60° F. In February! This didn’t used to happen and the past few years it has happened regularly.

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Yup. Right now I'm in upstate NY and it is almost 60 degrees, the oast two years we have had 2 or 3 days in February of 2018 and 2017 where it reached 80 degrees. That would have been absolitely unheard if when I was growing up. It never got above the upper 30s and even that would be unusual. 20s for this time of year used to be the norm.

"Yup" was to omni's comment

Oh you too?

Me too. Where I live the climate has changed over the past few decades.

Really? How’s it different?

Winter has gotten shorter and there are more mild days during the winter. Actual spring and fall have kind of disappeared and they’re sort of spread throughout the year. You used to need a heavy coat all winter here, but for the last couple years there’s been at least one day per month where I can go out with no jacket and be comfortable.

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You cannot use terms like “at least one day” or “last couple of years” to describe climate.

You’re misunderstanding me. This is from personal experience so I suppose it’s age-dependent. Not to date myself, but I have over 30 years of working memory so I can observe changes in the climate.

I’m comparing the last couple of years (weather) to the last several decades (climate). Over the last 2 years there has been at least one day per month where it’s been warm enough to wear no jacket whereas for decades before 2017 that never happened for any single year.

In other words, for a few decades if there was a day from December-February where I didn’t need a jacket that would have been an anomaly. Now it’s the new normal. Is it possible it will shift back?... Sure. But based on my life experience I personally have seen a recent and sudden shift in the climate in my region.

Furthermore, I hear others saying the same thing. That’s why I polled it... to see if this is a common experience. It is worth noting this is all based on personal observation.

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