Warming winters in Texas

• Last week saw a record high of 82 degrees set at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. And Camp Mabry tied a record high for a minimum temperature of 69.

Driving the news: The average winter temperatures in Austin are 4°F warmer today than in the 1970s, per nonprofit research and journalism organization Climate Central.

Why it matters: Winter warming might be good news for people who hate the cold, but it's bad news for our environment.

• Higher winter temperatures can extend pressures on Austin's water supplies, hamper peach growing season in the Hill Country, and extend growing seasons for the sort of pollen that gives so many of us allergies.

The background: Arctic warming means less cold air is penetrating down to Texas during winter months, Lauren Casey, a Climate Central meteorologist, tells Axios.

Of note: Every season in Austin is warmer today than in 1970.

• Climate Central started with 1970 because "it's the earliest year for which we've got near nationwide reporting at the data level we need to conduct reliable analysis," per spokesperson Peter Girard.

Zoom out: Since 1970, winters have warmed by 3.3°F on average across 238 U.S. locations — including other major cities in Texas.