Winter in Massachusetts undergoing redefinition due to warming climate

Winter in Massachusetts undergoing redefinition due to warming climate

The “change of seasons” used to mean something different.

Winter in Massachusetts is undergoing a redefinition due to a warming climate.

Already, the mean temperature in Amherst in winter - for December, January and February - has risen about 4.2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, according to a study by a University of New Hampshire researcher.

And, average winter temperatures throughout Massachusetts may rise an additional 2 to 5 degrees by 2050 and 4 to 10 degrees by 2100 due to continued global warming, according to a new report prepared for the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. more