Spring officially arrives March 20, three weeks from now, but spring-like weather is arriving two to three weeks early in the southern United States and “is likely to keep rolling north,” says the U.S. Geological Survey. The Interior Department agency, which links early arrival of warm weather to climate change, says the change in timing poses challenges for human health and for food production.
An early shift to warm weather can translate into early arrival of disease-carrying insects such as ticks and mosquitoes. “And while a longer growing season can result in increased yields for some crops, it is risky because of the higher likelihood of plant damage caused by late frosts or summer drought, said USGS. “Changes in seasons can affect economically and culturally important outdoor recreation activities, including affecting the timing of hunting and fishing seasons.”
The USGS based its analysis on maps that correlate dates with data on when enough warmth has accumulated to initiate leafing and blooming of lilacs and honeysuckle, two plants that are sensitive to temperatures. “By comparing the daily maps from this year to historical maps created the same way, they created maps that showed just how different this year is relative to the long-term average (1981-2010). It is these data that reveal just how unusually early spring is arriving,” said USGS.