In late 2022 and early 2023, the Western United States was hit with historic snow showers. In the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range in eastern California, more than 4m of snow fell. Between November and January, more than 8 m of snow were recorded. Enough snow to cover a house! Even though these mountains are accustomed to winter weather, these were largely off the charts.
The week of Christmas, the city of Buffalo, in the State of New York was hit by a historic storm. -48°C and nearly 2 m of snow fell locally in just 3 days!
If these two regions have already seen snow fall and sometimes in quantity, these offensives have been particularly biting.
Another city that is used to seeing snow fall, sometimes in droves, is New York City. We all have romantic comedy images in our minds showing Central Park covered in a thick white coat. Yet this year, New Yorkers are waiting for the snowflakes. The Big Apple’s lung remains almost hopelessly green. If this is not a first, here too the situation is very unusual. But why is white gold lagging behind on the East Coast this year?
Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a researcher at the School of Climate at Columbia University is categorical:
It is a combination of rising temperatures linked to climate change and the natural variability that occurs.
And to explain: “Actually, if I look back, the historical snowfall record, we see these changes decade after decade in snowfall trends. So I think asking about the links to climate change, yes, we have to. We also have to look at natural variability and the role that plays.”
