Spring is getting warmer across Indiana, U.S.
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Our 70-degree weather this week is more than a fluke or an early spring gift — it's a trend.
Why it matters: Warmer springs can worsen allergies, among other effects.
- Other parts of the country are contending with early snowmelt, which can imperil summer water resources and heighten wildfire risks.
Driving the news: A new analysis finds that, in tandem with increasing temperatures around the world due to human emissions of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, spring is getting warmer in most U.S. cities and featuring more unusually hot days.
The big picture: Nonprofit climate research and communications organization Climate Central examined 55 years of U.S. temperature data for 241 cities and found that the meteorological spring season of March through May has warmed by a national average of 2.4°F.
By the numbers: Indianapolis has seen average seasonal temperatures spike by 2.6°F since 1970, according to Climate Central's analysis.
- On average, we're seeing 11 more days with above-average temperatures.
- According to National Weather Service data, five of our warmest springs in at least the last 150 years occurred in the last two decades.
Yes, but: One region of the U.S. has seen some cooling during spring.
- It stretches from northern Montana into North and South Dakota as well as a sliver of Minnesota.
The intrigue: Our spring is warming, but not as fast as winter.
- Winter is the fastest-warming season for much of the Central and Eastern U.S., along with Alaska.