Houston winters are getting shorter
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We feel it. You feel it. Winters are shrinking.
The big picture: In Houston and other U.S. cities, our typical winters are getting shorter amid climate change, per a new analysis from Climate Central, a climate research group.
Driving the news: Compared to the 1970-1997 period, winters are now shorter in 80% of the 245 U.S. cities analyzed in the report.
- Among those 195 cities, winter lasts for nine fewer days on average.
- In Houston, winter is 14 days shorter, per Climate Central.
The latest: Highs have reached the 80s this week, and they look like they're sticking.
Stunning stat: The 2025–26 winter is on track to log 25 days at 80°, topping the previous record of 22 set in 2021–22 and 2016–17, per Space City Weather, adding it was a "historically warm winter in Houston."
🧣 The bottom line: Go ahead and shove those winter clothes to the back of the closet.