• Weather

BRRRR – Global Warming Could Cause Polar Vortex to Blast the U.S. With Cold Air

• Arctic
• climate change
• jet stream
• Polar Vortex
• science
• snow

Above the North Pole, a polar vortex — a swirling flurry of cold air — could cause weeks of frigid weather in the Eastern United States, Northern Europe, and East Asia according to forecasters. Snow blanketed Spain over the weekend, dumping nearly two feet of snow on Madrid — the most snow in the last 50 years there.  Madrid

Why this Matters:  While many associate global warming with hotter weather, climate change can also cause harsher, more snowy winters.

• Politics

How to Turn Skiers into Climate Voters

• climate change
• skiing
• snow
• winter

Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains has been alarmingly low this year and while the rest of the West hasn’t had as dire of a situation, since 1982, some parts of the West have a 41% reduction in the yearly maximum mass of snow. For the skiing industry, climate change is a true existential threat–though […]

• Climate Change

One Ridiculous Thing: Helicoptering In Snow

• climate change
• skiing
• snow

We have heard of helicopter skiing, but this month a French ski resort had to resort to helicoptering in the snow itself, CNN reported. Apparently, it was too warm to even make snow on the mountain so the Superbagnères resort in the Pyrenees had a helicopter delivering bundles of snow to the area in order […]

• Weather

What Happened to Winter? Why 2020’s On Track to be the Warmest Winter Ever.

• climate change
• snow
• winter

If you live in DC you’re probably like us and have been wondering what the heck happened to winter this year. You’re not alone, according to NBC News, In Japan, record low snowfall has forced ski resorts to close prematurely. In Finland, forests that would normally be stark and bare at this time of year […]

• Politics

As Focus Shifts To NH, Climate Change and Clean Water Are Key Issues

• clean water
• climate change
• PFAS
• snow
• storm surge

Climate change and clean water are the two biggest environmental issues facing the Democratic Presidential candidates stumping in New Hampshire. 

Why This Matters:  Pollution and climate change were big issues in Iowa and they will be important in New Hampshire as well.  The recreation industry is poised to take a beating due to shortened ski seasons and PFAS contamination is pervasive and too expensive to clean up right now.

• Weather

Ho Ho No: Ice on Top of Snow — Bad for Humans and Reindeer Too

• climate change
• ice storm
• reindeer
• Sami
• snow

An Associated Press report earlier this week went viral because it hits a little too close to home this time of year — unusual weather patterns are causing reindeer to go hungry because as rain (as opposed to snow) falls during the winter in the Arctic, it creates thick layers of snowy ice that blocks their access to food.  In much of the U.S. we will likewise be battered with a “parade” of combo snow/ice storms for the days until Christmas, snarling all kinds of travel plans.

Why This Matters: Ice is only good in Disney movies.