I’ve lived in DC on and off for nearly 30 years and have never experienced snow like this. Which is not surprising given that DC hasn’t had snow like this since 1899.
All this extreme weather’s got people talking…
ClimateProgress.org ran an article Monday featuring Dr. Jeff Masters, one of America’s best meteorologists.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, the expected return period in the Washington D.C./Baltimore region for snowstorms with more than 16 inches of snow is about once every 25 years. This one-two punch of two major Nor’easters in one winter with 16+ inches of snow is unprecedented in the historical record for the region, which goes back to the late 1800s.
Read the rest of the essay — with stunning data — here.
It’s simple: A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. So extreme precipitation events are increasing across the United States — including extreme snow storms — even as temperatures rise.
The National Wildlife Federation issued a very well timed report in January explaining just that. While climate change is expected to bring shorter, milder winters overall, some U.S. areas will have more intense snows, they found. NWF’s resident climate scientist lays in out well in this video.
Reuters covered the NWF report and the Union of Concerned Scientists chimed in as well. And then today the New York Times ran this front page story.
Leave a comment below and let us know what do you think. Then watch this amazing video:
