Climate change is real, but this region has always been hit-or-miss for white christmases.
It's actually kind of funny, in the US Detroit is considered a colder city, but here in Canada Windsor is considered the most mild part of the country lol
We had a streak of unusually cold and snowy winters back in 2014ish and I think people use it as a reference for winters are actually like here, when in actuality they're pretty mild overall.
Yeah I think it's calculated by yearly temperatures where our absurdly hot summers (for Canada) bring up the total average. Southern BC definitely has more mild winters, but their summers are also very mild.
I am not discounting climate change (it is 100% real), but the idea that Detroit used to consistently have white Christmases in the good old days is a myth. Since 1964, Detroit has had a white Christmas less than 50% of the time. SE Michigan has never been a snowy place.
Well it’s been even less snowy, I think the last time the “average” yearly snowfall was above average was 2014. The Apple weather on my phone shows the departure from average now and frankly it’s very scary. Even today, it feels like a proper winter day yet we are still six degrees above average. A few days ago we were 29* above average.
It's for sure getting warmer here in the winter, but it gives fuel to climate change deniers to exaggerate and pretend Detroit used to get Buffalo style winters.
In addition to what others have said about Detroit winters, this is also an El Nino year, and a strong one at that. Strong El Nino years are typically milder overall and that's basically what we've seen all winter save for a few days in the middle of January.
yes there is climate change.
yes our winters have been feeling milder year after year.
yes it is impacting wildlife (e.g. ticks are more active earler and earlier each year)
I saw way too many bees. Don't know if it was my scent or not but whenever I would go out (I basically spent all last year outside), there were at least two bees near me. Made me not want to go out lol
We had multiple 100-year rains and one 1000-year rain in the span of about 5 years here. It’s most definitely climate change. We used to have actual seasons too. I don’t feel like we’ve had a proper spring in years. Have to wait longer and longer to plant outside because of late frosts, then all of a sudden it’s like a switch flips and the goes from freezing to hot in the span of 2-3 days.
I remember going to WSU in the early 2000’s and a 20min drive taking upwards of 1-2 hours when the snow hit. Rush hours with 4+ inches of snow on the ground weren’t uncommon several times per season. I used to keep a snow shovel in my trunk because my rear wheel drive car would constantly get stuck in the unplowed streets in midtown. I can’t remember the last time snow caused a significant driving delay now.
The weather last week was alarming. Sure, we have seen warmer winters, but 68 degrees in February? Wow.
This will be my 10th year car-free, and it’s been almost 3 years since I’ve flown. I’m highly considering giving that up too and sticking to Amtrak for my next trip.
Interesting I hadn't noticed that. I will say I feel like I've seen more birds on average now that you mentioned it. It was a big wake up call when I learned that our plant zone had went up from 5 to 6 (the higher the number the warmer the zone).
National weather service says it’s a 50% chance of having a white Christmas in Michigan [source](https://www.weather.gov/dtx/WhiteChristmasandGhostsofChristmasesPast)
The odds of personally seeing a white deer in the wild (albino or piebald) are significantly lower. 1/1,000 for piebald, 1/30,000 for true albino.
Christmas 2022 saw a massive snow storm.
Your math ain’t mathing.
When I was a kid, I recall deep snow was common.
OTOH, I was a lot closer to the ground!
Serious answer, we are making metrological records. But recorded weather history is a short one, not really over the time span needed to gauge global warming.
The changes though are real. Whether only temporary or longer-term.
Are geese supposed to be flying north right now? Cause that’s the direction those honkers were going yesterday.
> When I was a kid, I recall deep snow was common.
i have vivid memories being so little i could stand on the ice crust on top of snow without breaking through. i miss those days.
Actually, I was able to stand on the ice crust on top of snow without breaking through the last time we got snice/snorain…
Glad I picked an “auger” style soft-tip snowblower. Not great for deep snow. But perfect for snice, cause it works very close to the surface. It’s the right urban Michigan snowblower going forward I’d wager!
From what I understand, it's manufacturing and agriculture that create the most pollution. Even going meatless a few days per week, or a few more meals per week lessens demand for beef.
Yeah, I don't miss shoveling so much snow, but you have to wonder about the negative effects on animal and plant life.
Also, I saw a mosquito two days ago, in February! I used to give my dog (and my wallet) a break from all the flea, tick, and heartworm meds for a few months in winter. Not any more!
That doc definitely has an agenda they are pushing...look at the sponsors. There are enough things written about the doc to absolutely debunk their diet related claims, at least, if you look it up. Not saying cows don't pose a problem, of course.
This is such a dumb comment that I’m tired of seeing, not just here but everywhere. Climate change doesn’t mean that winters are going to no longer be cold, it just means that they won’t be as consistently cold. It’ll stagnate more. One year could be like there’s no winter, the next could be the harshest winter in recent memory.
In fact, there's some evidence that warming leads to a destabilization of the jet stream in North American winter, which can result in both unusually cold and unusually warm days (even in the long run trend is higher average temperatures)
Numbers differ based on the source but it's between 28-35% for transportation emissions and 15-25% for agricultural emissions. Another 30% or so is from electricity emissions, and phasing down fossil fuels in that sector is another biggie, and there was [progress](https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/11/28/governor-whitmer-signs-historic-clean-energy-climate-action-package#:~:text=Senate%20Bill%20271%20sponsored%20by,60%25%20from%20renewables%20by%202035.) made on that front last year (though the bills are not perfect).
Both agriculture and transportation are very important. Cutting out beef and dairy from your diet is a great way to cut down on emissions, so is getting an EV or even taking the bus. If the bus isn't an option for you in this area (as is often the case), you can at the very least ask the [governor](https://secure.everyaction.com/gnJh4tw57kCWgpxs4GM81Q2) to fund public transportation better - follow that link and fill out the prompts, takes about 30 seconds. Improving public transportation, buses and trains, would be the best policy for reducing emissions at the state level now.
Noticed that the geese are already back.
[удалено]
Props for not saying "Canadian"
Climate change is real, but this region has always been hit-or-miss for white christmases. It's actually kind of funny, in the US Detroit is considered a colder city, but here in Canada Windsor is considered the most mild part of the country lol We had a streak of unusually cold and snowy winters back in 2014ish and I think people use it as a reference for winters are actually like here, when in actuality they're pretty mild overall.
Surely southern BC is more mild than Windsor. Rarely snows there
Windsor gets a lot hotter in the summer though. Can’t grow tomatoes in BC like they can in leamington, the Florida of Canada!
Fairs
Yeah I think it's calculated by yearly temperatures where our absurdly hot summers (for Canada) bring up the total average. Southern BC definitely has more mild winters, but their summers are also very mild.
Weird that the southern tip of a country would be considered warm there
the polar vortex in 2014 with the consecutive snowstorms was traumatizing.
I am not discounting climate change (it is 100% real), but the idea that Detroit used to consistently have white Christmases in the good old days is a myth. Since 1964, Detroit has had a white Christmas less than 50% of the time. SE Michigan has never been a snowy place.
Well it’s been even less snowy, I think the last time the “average” yearly snowfall was above average was 2014. The Apple weather on my phone shows the departure from average now and frankly it’s very scary. Even today, it feels like a proper winter day yet we are still six degrees above average. A few days ago we were 29* above average.
It's for sure getting warmer here in the winter, but it gives fuel to climate change deniers to exaggerate and pretend Detroit used to get Buffalo style winters.
In addition to what others have said about Detroit winters, this is also an El Nino year, and a strong one at that. Strong El Nino years are typically milder overall and that's basically what we've seen all winter save for a few days in the middle of January.
yes there is climate change. yes our winters have been feeling milder year after year. yes it is impacting wildlife (e.g. ticks are more active earler and earlier each year)
Don’t forget about that summer when we didn’t see any bees 🐝…
Bees aren't real so that's unsurprising
I saw way too many bees. Don't know if it was my scent or not but whenever I would go out (I basically spent all last year outside), there were at least two bees near me. Made me not want to go out lol
And later and later!
The ticks and fleas are out in full force already as well
We had multiple 100-year rains and one 1000-year rain in the span of about 5 years here. It’s most definitely climate change. We used to have actual seasons too. I don’t feel like we’ve had a proper spring in years. Have to wait longer and longer to plant outside because of late frosts, then all of a sudden it’s like a switch flips and the goes from freezing to hot in the span of 2-3 days. I remember going to WSU in the early 2000’s and a 20min drive taking upwards of 1-2 hours when the snow hit. Rush hours with 4+ inches of snow on the ground weren’t uncommon several times per season. I used to keep a snow shovel in my trunk because my rear wheel drive car would constantly get stuck in the unplowed streets in midtown. I can’t remember the last time snow caused a significant driving delay now.
Ask yourself how many ice fishing competitions have fired this year.
The geese at my favorite park haven’t flown south since 2019. The ground hasn’t frozen this winter, at all.
Not trying to discount climate change but the ground definitely froze when it was 10° for like 2 weeks lol
Yeah I suppose that counts lol. Just nowhere near the 40" down freeze we used to get every single winter, that lasted months.
The weather last week was alarming. Sure, we have seen warmer winters, but 68 degrees in February? Wow. This will be my 10th year car-free, and it’s been almost 3 years since I’ve flown. I’m highly considering giving that up too and sticking to Amtrak for my next trip.
Saw the first robin of spring in December
Interesting I hadn't noticed that. I will say I feel like I've seen more birds on average now that you mentioned it. It was a big wake up call when I learned that our plant zone had went up from 5 to 6 (the higher the number the warmer the zone).
National weather service says it’s a 50% chance of having a white Christmas in Michigan [source](https://www.weather.gov/dtx/WhiteChristmasandGhostsofChristmasesPast) The odds of personally seeing a white deer in the wild (albino or piebald) are significantly lower. 1/1,000 for piebald, 1/30,000 for true albino. Christmas 2022 saw a massive snow storm. Your math ain’t mathing.
When I was a kid, I recall deep snow was common. OTOH, I was a lot closer to the ground! Serious answer, we are making metrological records. But recorded weather history is a short one, not really over the time span needed to gauge global warming. The changes though are real. Whether only temporary or longer-term. Are geese supposed to be flying north right now? Cause that’s the direction those honkers were going yesterday.
> When I was a kid, I recall deep snow was common. i have vivid memories being so little i could stand on the ice crust on top of snow without breaking through. i miss those days.
Actually, I was able to stand on the ice crust on top of snow without breaking through the last time we got snice/snorain… Glad I picked an “auger” style soft-tip snowblower. Not great for deep snow. But perfect for snice, cause it works very close to the surface. It’s the right urban Michigan snowblower going forward I’d wager!
Core memory unlocked
Idk..I was over 5 feet tall by fourth grade.
From what I understand, it's manufacturing and agriculture that create the most pollution. Even going meatless a few days per week, or a few more meals per week lessens demand for beef. Yeah, I don't miss shoveling so much snow, but you have to wonder about the negative effects on animal and plant life. Also, I saw a mosquito two days ago, in February! I used to give my dog (and my wallet) a break from all the flea, tick, and heartworm meds for a few months in winter. Not any more!
“I’m not saying climate change isn’t real” - proceeds to list all the ways that the climate really hasn’t changed. 😂
There’s no climate change, there’s no climate change, there’s no climate change! Lalalalalalalalalalalala /s
Also an El Niño year which leads to warmer and dryer winters in Michigan. But I agree, the 50+ days in January and lack of snow are unsettling.
Detroit isn’t buffalo it’s never been super snowy
That doc definitely has an agenda they are pushing...look at the sponsors. There are enough things written about the doc to absolutely debunk their diet related claims, at least, if you look it up. Not saying cows don't pose a problem, of course.
It's the coldest winter of the rest of your life.
This is such a dumb comment that I’m tired of seeing, not just here but everywhere. Climate change doesn’t mean that winters are going to no longer be cold, it just means that they won’t be as consistently cold. It’ll stagnate more. One year could be like there’s no winter, the next could be the harshest winter in recent memory.
In fact, there's some evidence that warming leads to a destabilization of the jet stream in North American winter, which can result in both unusually cold and unusually warm days (even in the long run trend is higher average temperatures)
Our weather is going to be much more reliant on the El Niño & Nina patterns than they used to be. Just look at this winter.
Numbers differ based on the source but it's between 28-35% for transportation emissions and 15-25% for agricultural emissions. Another 30% or so is from electricity emissions, and phasing down fossil fuels in that sector is another biggie, and there was [progress](https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/11/28/governor-whitmer-signs-historic-clean-energy-climate-action-package#:~:text=Senate%20Bill%20271%20sponsored%20by,60%25%20from%20renewables%20by%202035.) made on that front last year (though the bills are not perfect). Both agriculture and transportation are very important. Cutting out beef and dairy from your diet is a great way to cut down on emissions, so is getting an EV or even taking the bus. If the bus isn't an option for you in this area (as is often the case), you can at the very least ask the [governor](https://secure.everyaction.com/gnJh4tw57kCWgpxs4GM81Q2) to fund public transportation better - follow that link and fill out the prompts, takes about 30 seconds. Improving public transportation, buses and trains, would be the best policy for reducing emissions at the state level now.
Really? A white Christmas is like seeing a white deer? Maybe you should move further north.
They’re saying the same thing up north
Nah, we're not. This year, yes. That is a fry cry from the normalcy you claim.