2021 Winter Package

Analysis of 246 U.S. locations from 1970 to 2021 shows that 98% experienced an increase in average winter temperatures, with the Great Lakes and Northeast regions seeing the most significant warming. Winter is the fastest-warming season for 38 out of 49 states. While extreme cold events still occur, warming winters threaten regional economies through reduced snowpacks in the West, lower fruit yields, and the migration of disease-carrying pests.

• Between 1970 and 2021, approximately 98% of the 246 analyzed U.S. locations saw an increase in average winter temperatures, and 84% of those locations warmed by 2°F or more. Additionally, about 74% of locations experienced at least 7 more days above the 1991-2020 winter normal temperatures.
• The Great Lakes and Northeast regions experienced the highest winter warming. The five locations with the largest increases were Burlington, Vt. (7.2°F), Concord, N.H. (6°F), Milwaukee (6°F), Chattanooga, Tenn. (5.8°F), and Green Bay, Wis. (5.8°F).
• Winter has been the fastest-warming season over the last 50 years for 38 out of 49 U.S. states, excluding Hawaii.
• Despite overall warming, some northern states like Montana and the Dakotas have seen colder winter temperatures since 1970, and the possibility of extreme cold events remains, though their likelihood is decreasing.
• Warming winters create several socio-economic and health risks: the migration of ticks and mosquitoes to new regions, threats to the winter recreation industry due to less snow and ice, declining snowpacks in the West affecting water supply and irrigation, and reduced fruit yields for apple, peach, and cherry trees due to shorter chill periods.

APA

Butler, A., & Burakowsi, E. (2021). 2021 Winter Package. Climate Central. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2021-winter-package

Chicago

Butler, Amy, and Elizabeth Burakowsi. 2021 Winter Package. Climate Central, 2021. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2021-winter-package.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Butler |first1=Amy |last2=Burakowsi |first2=Elizabeth |title=2021 Winter Package |publisher=Climate Central |date=23 November 2021 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2021-winter-package |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{butler20212021, author = {Butler, Amy and Burakowsi, Elizabeth}, title = {{2021 Winter Package}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2021-winter-package}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }