Many may not think of the New England region as a warm place for a winter holiday, but it is warming faster than most of the U.S.
What's happening?
Research published in the journal Climate found that rising temperatures and shrinking snow cover across New England are accelerating, with the sharpest changes occurring in the last five years.
Scientists from Massachusetts analyzed over a century of temperature records alongside satellite data tracking land surface temperatures and snow cover.
They found that New England has warmed more than 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1900, with roughly 75% of that increase occurring since the late 1980s.
Winter temperatures are warming nearly twice as fast as other seasons, and southern New England has already lost 30% to 40% of its snow-cover days since 2000.
The researchers also linked the warming to shifting ocean currents as cold freshwater from Greenland melts and pushes warmer water from the Gulf Stream into the Gulf of Maine.
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The study also found a strong link between snow loss and rising land temperatures. Snow reflects sunlight back into the atmosphere, keeping surfaces cooler. As snow disappears, darker ground absorbs more heat, creating a feedback loop that accelerates warming.
"The temperature is not only increasing, it's accelerating," said Stephen Young, lead author of the study and climate researcher at Salem State University, per The Guardian.
Why are these conditions concerning?
Isolated extreme weather events have always existed, but research shows that human-driven warming — exacerbated by heat-trapping pollution from the burning of oil, gas, and coal — supercharges these events, making them more intense and frequent.
"Along with the Arctic and parts of Europe and China, the northeast U.S. is one of the fastest-warming regions in the world," added Young. "New England is now heading towards being like the southeastern U.S."
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Very 😰 Shorter winters threaten local economies that rely on winter tourism and ski towns, like New Hampshire, which has started to rethink ski season.
Meanwhile, warmer nights above freezing allow pests like ticks and mosquitoes to reproduce through winter and spread disease.
Increased rainfall instead of snow raises flood risks, while hotter summers increase the odds of heart emergencies, drought, and habitat loss for local wildlife.
What's being done about these conditions?
States like Massachusetts are implementing climate plans that focus on renewable energy and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to help slow the melt.
Cities like Cambridge are pivoting funding from snowplows and salt to more days off for heat emergencies and air conditioning units, according to The Boston Globe.
On an individual level, climate action doesn't have to mean drastic lifestyle changes. Weatherizing homes, switching to electric heating and cooling, and supporting clean energy projects can lower utility bills while easing strain on the energy system.
Small choices, when adopted at scale, can help slow the warming-melting loops reshaping New England's seasons.
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