Climate Change is Coming to New England Faster than Anywhere Else

A new study from Salem State University has found that New England states are warming at rates much faster than global averages. The warming is expected to continue at unprecedented rates in the coming years and the analysis shows that the impacts of climate change in New England will far outpace the rest of the planet.  

This comes on the heels of an announcement stating that last year was one of the top three hottest years in Massachusetts history. Similarly, it was discovered a few years ago that New England had lost an average of just over six days of snow covering the ground over a 17-year time span, beginning in 2001.

The study, conducted by Stephen and Joshua Young, focused on analyzing New England temperature data provided by the U.S. Historical Climatology Network. Comparing year-to-year data, there were four different findings overwhelmingly present in the study. The first was that New England states had warmed significantly between 1900 and 2020, both seasonally and annually. The second finding was that there is a cycle that New England states follow during their change – warming, cooling, and warming again.

The culprit? A Boston Globe piece covering this study says, “The scientists attributed the warming in the Northeast to changes in atmospheric conditions as well as rising temperatures in coastal waters, such as the Gulf of Maine, which scientists say is among the fastest-warming bodies of water on the planet.”

With that, the third discovery was that winter was the season that saw the most warming of all. And finally, the study found that the minimum temperatures were rising more than the maximums. So while the highest temperatures aren’t necessarily rising, the thresholds for lows are rising. Figures for New England were a 1.83 degrees Celsius (3.29 degrees Fahrenheit) increase and 1.14 degrees Celsius increase for planet averages since 1900. Massachusetts was said to have had an even greater increase at 1.97 degrees Celsius (3.55 degrees Fahrenheit).

In a region known for its seasonality and delicate ecosystem, the shifts in weather are especially alarming. Effects of climate change can be seen in rising sea levels, ocean salinity affecting marine life, and harsher storms. Climate change and rising temperatures have long been cause for concern, but this vulnerable region is undeniably being impacted at unprecedented rates.

The rampant increase in New England has far outrun the figures set forth by the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement signed by hundreds of nations in an effort to limit warming temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The number was determined in order to avoid catastrophic issues relating to warming temperatures, but New England, especially Massachusetts, has surpassed the number in record time.

Figures are expected to continue rising and show no signs of slowing down despite innovative technology and New England citizens’ best efforts. According to the authors of the study, “the region should expect major disruptions to its economy, including coastal waters that will become increasingly inhospitable to iconic species such as cod and lobster; fewer days when skiing and other winter recreation will be possible; less maple syrup and other agricultural products produced, and a range of other consequences.”

For more on this important issue, please see the following links: