The cold winter weather has New Englanders dreaming about spring, though this winter has been coldest for those living in the northern U.S. in the states surrounding the Great Lakes. New England has certainly seen worse weather. There have been a few bouts of bitter cold conditions mixed with a few days of unseasonably warm temperatures. Many of us are wondering what Mother Nature has in store for us this spring and whether or not we will actually have a summer this year. Last year, the transition from winter to spring seemed to take forever and when the rainy season finally came about, it didn’t necessarily bring May flowers, but continued throughout most of the summer. Last summer was cool enough that I didn’t even bother buying new clothes or a bathing suit because by the time I was able to sport my summer attire, autumn was upon us. The weather seems to differ every year making us curious about what kind of weather the next year will bring.

The Farmer’s Almanac was accurate in predicting the fact that we would have a very cold winter followed by a cool and wet spring and summer last year. This year, the predictions are that New England will see an average amount of precipitation during the winter though there is a sizable snowstorm predicted to hit around the middle of February that could bring blizzard conditions. The Farmer’s Almanac has not released any predictions for this spring on the internet as of yet but the book is available for purchase.

The climate of New England is changing, though you probably haven’t noticed it since it is very slight. We experience more days that reach above 90 degrees, longer periods of spring-like weather, more rain versus snow in the winter, early melting of ice and snow resulting in more river flow and rising sea levels. Climate changes lead to other changes in atmosphere such as new bugs and insects as well as new plant life. Scientists predict an increase in the woolly adelgid that they expect to result in the damage of old conifers as they drink all of the sap from the trees. Warmer climates allow for bugs like these to make themselves at home and they do die fairly easily when faced with cold temperatures. The warmer weather allows these pests to thrive when they could never have done so years ago.

The average water temperature off the Atlantic in Narragansett Bay has increased by 2 degrees and the winter water temperature has increased by 3 degrees since 1960. Certain species of fish and crustaceans are changing their habits now that the water has become warmer and fishermen and women are trying to adapt to the new changes. Shrimp that usually migrate to warmer waters are hanging around longer and snacking on young flounder. Jellyfish are also spending a longer period of time near the bay, which is not good news for the new fish population that comes about in the spring as they are gobbled up by these transparent predators.

New England’s temperature has risen 4.4 degrees in the winter since 1970 due to emissions. This has contributed to the warming of the ocean water. Small changes in climate can lead to bigger changes for us. The migration of different species of fish and the changes in the food chain of underwater life can lead to a lower count of fish that are profitable for our fishing industry. The winter season would normally bring a bloom of phytoplankton that would take up much of the bay, feeding much of its fish and would settle down during the spring for bottom feeders to feast. The phytoplankton have been reduced to almost nothing considering that there was a dramatic reduction in the 80’s and was very scarce in the 90’s.

Global warming is occurring whether we notice it every day or not. Though some of us New England folk like to hear about our climate getting warmer, we certainly don’t want our environment or economy to pay the price. The climate could change enough during this century for Massachusetts to have the weather that North Carolina has presently. We need to do our best to become as energy efficient as possible for the sake of our grandchildren!

Sip your hot chocolate and stay warm New Englanders, just don’t forget to do your share to help stop global warming. Turn down your heat at night, reduce your household waste, recycle, use less hot water, don’t slam on the gas to take off at that green light and let all of that exhaust out of your car, drive less often or carpool to work and school, buy energy efficient products and plant a tree! Enjoy the rest of the winter and to folks like me, spring is just a few more months away!

Frank helps people learn about Dish Network Satellite TV, and how they can save money every month with popular Dish Network Packages. Frank and his team also help people determine if satellite internet is right for them.

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