Spring Warming Accelerating Strongly In SW; El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix Up 5F Since 1970

[hatrack]

March 1 signals the beginning of meteorological spring. In spite of the wintry precipitation that has kicked off the month in parts of the country, springs across the U.S. are getting warmer with climate change. On average, spring has warmed a little more than 2°F in the U.S. since 1970.

The strongest warming, as examined by the NCEI climate divisions, is in the Southwest. Several cities have warmed more than 5°F, including El Paso, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson. Of the 244 stations across the country we analyzed, only nine (3.7 percent) showed no warming trend at all, and more than half have warmed at least 2°F.

Spring isn’t just getting warmer, but the signs of spring are coming earlier. Based on the appearance of first leaves, spring is arriving in the U.S. an average of three days earlier than a few decades ago. By 2100, it may be as much as three weeks earlier.

Warming springs disrupt long-term patterns in nature. Plants are emerging from their winter dormancy earlier, putting them at a greater risk of damage from a brief early spring freeze. Tellingly, the famous cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. are forecast by the National Park Service to peak between March 17-20 this year. This is much earlier than observed average peak dates between the last week of March and the first week of April.

EDIT

http://www.climatecentral.org/gallery/maps/warming-spring