Fewer Frigid Nights

Since 1970, 204 U.S. locations have seen a decrease in annual freezing nights, with an average reduction of 13 nights. Warming has been most rapid during winter and at night, with nighttime lows warming 25% faster than daytime highs since 1900. Projections indicate that by 2040, every state in the contiguous U.S. and Alaska will experience a drop in below-freezing days under a medium-high emissions scenario, with 23 states potentially seeing three to four fewer weeks of freezing days by mid-century. While this may reduce heating costs and cold-exposure risks, it threatens snow-fed water supplies, winter recreation economies, and fruit crop yields.

• Between 1970 and 2022, 204 out of 231 analyzed U.S. locations (88%) that typically experience freezing temperatures saw a long-term decrease in the annual number of freezing nights, with an average reduction of 13 nights.
• The most significant decreases in freezing nights occurred in Reno, Nevada (91 fewer nights), Albuquerque, New Mexico (45 fewer nights), and Bend, Oregon (41 fewer nights). Some locations, including Las Vegas, New Orleans, Phoenix, and parts of California and Florida, no longer experience freezing nights.
• Warming in the U.S. has been most pronounced during winter and at night; since 1900, nighttime lows have warmed at a rate of 1.78°F per century, which is approximately 25% faster than the 1.42°F per century rate for daytime highs.
• Under a medium-high emissions scenario, all states in the contiguous U.S. and Alaska are projected to see a decrease in days with below-freezing temperatures by 2040. By 2050, 23 states—particularly in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, Plains, Southwest, and Northwest—are projected to have at least three or four fewer weeks of freezing days.
• The reduction in freezing days and nights presents a mix of risks and benefits: it may lower home heating costs and reduce acute cold exposure risks for vulnerable populations, but it can disrupt snow-fed water supplies, harm winter recreation economies, expand the range of pests like ticks and mosquitoes, and impact fruit crop yields that require winter chill hours.

APA

Climate Central (2023). Fewer Frigid Nights. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/fewer-frigid-nights-2023

Chicago

Climate Central. Fewer Frigid Nights. 2023. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/fewer-frigid-nights-2023.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=Fewer Frigid Nights |date=25 January 2023 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/fewer-frigid-nights-2023 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2023fewer, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{Fewer Frigid Nights}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2023}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/fewer-frigid-nights-2023}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }