Why are we experiencing severe winter storms despite a warming planet?
While experts concur that climate change is resulting in shorter, milder winters in North America, this doesn’t signify the end of winter storms.
In reality, climate change is intensifying these storms. A warmer atmosphere absorbs and retains more moisture, leading to increased precipitation. Daniel Horton, an associate professor at Northwestern University, explains: “The atmosphere acts like a sponge; warmer temperatures allow it to absorb more moisture, and subsequently release more precipitation—snow in winter.”
Consequently, some regions are experiencing higher precipitation levels annually. Jason Furtado, an associate professor of meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, notes: “Winter storms are producing significantly more extreme precipitation—freezing rain, sleet, and even snowfall—in areas not typically associated with such events, such as New Orleans or the Florida Gulf Coast.”
Arctic warming leads to the formation of high-pressure systems, displacing cold fronts southward and strengthening storms. Although this phenomenon has been ongoing, rising temperatures are increasing its frequency. Furtado elaborates: “Large high-pressure systems develop across the Arctic, pushing cold air further south.”
Storms thrive on the temperature difference between frigid Arctic air and warmer lower latitudes. Furtado describes a dual effect: “We’ll see more powerful storms capable of holding more moisture from the oceans due to a slightly warmer atmosphere.”
Lakeside areas, including New York and Michigan, are vulnerable to “lake-effect snow” due to warming temperatures. Horton explains: “Our lakes are warming and staying warmer longer, reducing ice cover and increasing evaporation into cold fronts. This enhances their moisture release when cold Arctic air passes over them.”
This illustrates the evolving nature of winters across the United States. Furtado concludes: “We’ve become accustomed to a specific climate pattern over the past fifty-plus years, but we’re now undergoing a period of rapid change.”