The Warming Festive Season

The document reports that 97% of 246 analyzed U.S. locations experienced an increase in average temperature during the period from December 25 to January 5 between 1969 and 2021. It details regional shifts in snowpack and precipitation, noting that winter is the fastest-warming season for most of the U.S., which increases the likelihood of precipitation falling as rain rather than snow.

• Between 1969 and 2021, 97% of 246 analyzed U.S. locations saw an increase in average temperature during the 12-day period from December 25 to January 5. Warming exceeded 1°F for 94% of locations, 3°F for 75% of locations, and 5°F for 37% of locations.
• The highest temperature increases for the festive period were recorded in Reno, Nev. (9.5°F), Burlington, Vt. (9.1°F), Milwaukee, Wisc. (8.6°F), Helena, Mont. (8.5°F), and Waterloo, Iowa (8.4°F).
• Regional impacts of warming include declining snowpack and earlier snowmelt in the western U.S., an increase in winter rain over snow in the Northeast, and a 22% average decline in maximum lake ice cover in the Great Lakes region since 1973.
• In the Northern Great Plains, warming has resulted in shorter snow seasons and reduced snowpack water storage, which negatively impacts aquatic ecosystems and local recreation and economic industries.

APA

Climate Central (2022). The Warming Festive Season. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/the-warming-festive-season-2022

Chicago

Climate Central. The Warming Festive Season. 2022. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/the-warming-festive-season-2022.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=The Warming Festive Season |date=21 December 2022 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/the-warming-festive-season-2022 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2022warming, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{The Warming Festive Season}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/the-warming-festive-season-2022}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }