A nearly snowless winter grips much of the northern US
Record warmth left ski slopes bare and lakes unfrozen across the northern tier, in one of the warmest winters on record.
Much of the northern United States experienced one of the warmest and least snowy winters on record this year, leaving ski slopes bare, lakes unfrozen and winter traditions disrupted across a region long defined by cold and snow.
From the Upper Midwest to the Northeast, temperatures ran far above normal for weeks at a time, and snowfall fell well short of typical amounts in many places. The Great Lakes saw ice cover plunge to near-record lows, and some areas went long stretches with little or no measurable snow on the ground.
The unusual warmth disrupted winter economies and pastimes, from struggling ski resorts and cancelled ice-fishing contests to snowmobile trails left bare. It also carried ecological consequences, affecting everything from the timing of plant growth to the behaviour of wildlife and the risk of pests surviving a mild winter.
The warm winter coincided with a strong El Niño, which tends to bring milder conditions to the northern tier, layered atop the long-term warming trend driven by climate change. Scientists note that winters are warming faster than other seasons across much of the country.
For communities built around cold and snow, the mild winter was a disorienting glimpse of a changing climate. While any single season reflects natural variability, the broader trend toward warmer, shorter winters is well established, with profound implications for ecosystems, economies and ways of life across the northern United States.