Study Finds New England Is Warming Faster Than Nearly Anywhere on Earth

Study Finds New England Is Warming Faster Than Nearly Anywhere on Earth
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New England is undergoing some of the most rapid warming on the planet, according to a new research, The Guardian reported. A study published in the journal Climate shows the region’s temperature rise has accelerated in recent years, making it the fastest-heating area in the United States outside the Alaskan Arctic.

The research, conducted by Salem State University climate scientist Stephen Young and his son Joshua Young, examined datasets dating back to 1900, including day and night temperatures and snow-cover records. Their analysis found that New England’s average temperature has increased by about 2.5C since the start of the 20th century—nearly double the global average warming of roughly 1.3C over the same period.

The study highlights a sharp decline in winter severity. Minimum and night-time temperatures are rising more quickly than daytime highs, and winters are heating at twice the rate of other seasons. Snow-covered days have decreased by 18% since 2000, with the most pronounced losses occurring in southern New England, where snow cover is retreating faster than in almost any other snowy region worldwide.

Researchers attribute this rapid warming in part to significant changes in the Atlantic Ocean. Melting glaciers in Greenland are altering ocean circulation patterns, slowing the Gulf Stream and pushing unusually warm water into the Gulf of Maine. This excess ocean heat, stored like a “battery,” is then released into the atmosphere and carried inland.

The consequences are increasingly visible. New England has recently faced severe flooding, droughts, shrinking winter sports seasons, and threats to industries such as maple syrup production. Young noted that activities once considered typical winter traditions, like pond skating in southern New England, have become rare as the region’s climate continues to shift.