Warming winters tied to climate change mean shorter cold streaks in San Antonio
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Cold weather streaks in San Antonio are four days shorter on average since 1970, per a new Climate Central analysis.
Why it matters: Few people love chill-to-the-bone cold snaps — but extended periods of chilly weather are key for some farmers and winter sports lovers, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
Reality check: Prolonged cold snaps still happen — San Antonio's longest of 2023 lasted 11 days.
Flashback: The city's most extended cold streak between 1970 and 2023 came in 1978, lasting 26 days.
The big picture: The streaks are mostly getting shorter on average nationwide, per a recent report from Climate Central.
What they did: Climate Central defines a "winter cold streak" as "at least two consecutive December-February days with average temperatures below the 1991-2020 winter normal average temperature" at a given location.
What they found: "Winter's longest cold streaks have gotten shorter since 1970 in 98% of 240 U.S. locations analyzed," per the report.