TOLEDO, Ohio — We’re just a week away from Christmas, but where’s the snow?
December has delivered rain, wind, and warmth, but no measurable snowfall so far. This trend is growing more common in part due to climate change.
In this week’s Climate Friday Newsletter, we’ll delve into the reasons this December has felt anything but winter-like.
It’s no secret that the world is getting warmer, and this trend has impacted the winter months most notably. In the past decade alone, December has grown three degrees warmer in Toledo.
Because of this warming trend, we’ve found ourselves on the rain-snow line more frequently. With milder temperatures, wintry mix has grown more common.
This December has served as a case study in this phenomenon. With two inches of rainfall and no measurable snowfall, this month has been much wetter than normal despite the lack of snow. Part of that increase in rainfall can be attributed to global warming.
Every 1 degree of warming results in a 4% increase in moisture. While 4% might not sound like much, keep in mind the three-degree rise in temperature in the last decade. More moisture in the atmosphere leads to increased precipitation.
With a continued warming trend, winter rainfall will grow more substantial in the future.
It’s important to note that just because the world is getting warmer doesn’t mean we won’t have big snowstorms or harsh cold. These weather events exist independently of the overall climatological trend.
Even though we will continue to have snowy and cold extremes, the climate normal of the winter season will continue to grow milder and wetter.
Stay tuned to WTOL 11 for the latest forecast updates on whatever weather Mother Nature deals us this winter!