Mass snow totals1/30/2024 ![]() Recent research suggests it is likely that North America will experience additional extreme winter temperatures, though they are expected to vary in intensity and frequency over time. Studies of these extreme temperature events are an emerging area of climate science. These unusual cold temperatures were the exception as the rest of the world experienced some of the highest temperatures on record. The winter season has also been getting shorter over past decades, as the timing of fall has shifted later, and spring earlier - each by about a week or more.Įxtreme cold winter temperatures in Massachusetts and the Northeast region have been observed in recent years and are thought to be the result of rapid warming in the Arctic, which influences the strength and meandering of the jet stream ?. This trend is projected to continue with winter temperatures in Massachusetts potentially increasing as much as 6 ☏ under the highest emission scenario by the end-of-century. Changes in winter are impacting ecosystem structure and function with important consequences for the carbon cycle (carbon sequestration, decomposition, and export), which influences production in agricultural and forest habitats.Īverage air temperatures in New England have shown the greatest increases during the winter season over the last half-century, winter temperatures have risen by more than 3 ☏. Recent research has shown that climate changes in winter, such as soil freezing and snow cover, are having strong and often surprising impacts on species and ecosystems in seasonally snow-covered areas such as high-elevation and alpine habitats. Slide the toggle bar in the legend to change the transparency of map layers. For the best representation of overlapping layers, view them one at a time. Projections show the years 2010-2080 using current data, or one of two IPCC greenhouse gas concentration scenarios: a moderate emissions scenario (RCP 4.5) and a high emissions scenario (RCP 8.5). The range of temperatures shown correspond to approximately -15 to 5 ☌ or 10 to 38 ☏. Climate projections were developed by a University of Massachusetts Amherst team for the Northeast to evaluate the potential effects of climate change on wildlife habitat and ecological integrity from 2010 to 2080. Data courtesy of the North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative. ![]() Colors change from blue to purple as air temperatures cross the freezing threshold (32 ☏) and winter precipitation changes from snow to rain. Meaning if you're in some of the hilltowns in Berkshire County, you're likely to see higher totals than say the South Coast, so these totals are the average for the entire state per storm.Climate projections displayed in this map represent the average of the minimum air temperature (degrees F) for December, January, and February. ![]() Although it's a small state, elevation varies a fair amount depending on where you're located. It's somewhat difficult to really say which snowstorms were the largest ever recorded because snowfall varies across Massachusetts. While Massachusetts might not see the massive snowfall that states like Minnesota, and Wisconsin, but we're still no strangers to a good old-fashioned blizzard. ![]()
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