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posted by Fnord666 on Thursday March 05 2020, @08:35AM   Printer-friendly
from the seasons-come-and-seasons-go dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

The start of spring isn't advancing at the same rate across the United States. In a recent study with climatologist Michael Crimmins, I evaluated changes in the arrival of springtime warmth over the past 70 years.

We found that in the Northeast, warmth associated with the leading edge of springtime activity has advanced by about six days over the past 70 years. In the Southwest, the advancement has been approximately 19 days. Spring is also arriving significantly earlier in the Southern Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. In contrast, in the Southeast the timing of spring has changed little.

Although the trend over decades toward earlier springs is clear, weather patterns unfolding across the continent can vary the start of the season dramatically from year to year at any one spot. The U.S. National Phenology Network produces maps that document the onset of biological activity over the course of the spring season.

The network also maintains a live map showing where spring has arrived. In some parts of the Southeast, spring 2020 has been the earliest in decades.

While numerous studies have documented clear changes in the timing of activity in certain plants and animals, scientists have little to no information on the cycles of most of the millions of species on Earth. Nor do they know the consequences of such changes yet.

One important way to fill knowledge gaps is documenting what's happening on the ground. The U.S. National Phenology Network runs a program called Nature's Notebook suited for people of nearly all ages and skill levels to track seasonal activity in plants and animals. Since the program's inception in 2009, participants have contributed more than 20 million records.

-- submitted from IRC


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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Thexalon on Thursday March 05 2020, @02:09PM (7 children)

    by Thexalon (636) on Thursday March 05 2020, @02:09PM (#966940)

    Where I am, we haven't dropped below 15F at all this winter, haven't really gotten anything resembling major snow, and both the flora and fauna started waking up for the warm season about a week and a half ago. While I don't mind the lower heating costs, it's definitely changing how the climate works around here.

    At the rate we're going, I figure in my lifetime I'm going to start seeing palm trees around here.

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 05 2020, @06:54PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 05 2020, @06:54PM (#967037)

    now if we could just get rid of summer and winter we would be golden.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:10PM (1 child)

    by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:10PM (#967091) Journal

    This is what allows Pine Beetles to spread and murder all our forests.

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday March 06 2020, @03:41AM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday March 06 2020, @03:41AM (#967265) Journal
      Murder our monoculture post-glacial boreal forests? Not the best idea ever, but it's not a lot of biodiversity at risk.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:48PM (2 children)

    by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:48PM (#967114)

    The rule where I live used to be plant your tomato seedlings out on Labour Weekend (the last weekend of October).

    I put mine out the second weekend of September this year, and they were fine.

    We also have had virtually no rain since December, which is more of a worry.

    • (Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday March 05 2020, @10:34PM (1 child)

      by Thexalon (636) on Thursday March 05 2020, @10:34PM (#967128)

      I also have to guess that you're more directly affected by the whole "Most of Australia is on fire" thing than I am.

      --
      The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
      • (Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday March 05 2020, @11:36PM

        by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday March 05 2020, @11:36PM (#967149)

        Ha! It is true, we did have one Sunday afternoon in January when it looked like dusk at 2 o'clock, but I think the Aussies have been peeing on the fires for a while now, and have them under control.