Spring in Connecticut is warming due to climate change, but not as much as other seasons.
Spring in Connecticut is warming due to climate change, but not as much as other seasons. The Hartford area has warmed +1.7°F since 1970, according to Climate Center, far behind our winters in Connecticut, which have warmed +5°F during that same time.
A reason for the slower spring warming can be attributed to wild swings of cold and snow in March and April, which can still occur. This especially impacts our high temperatures, which are usually rising quickly this time of the year.
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The most noticeable change in Spring in Connecticut is the earlier snowmelt and earlier bloom, due to the warming trend. This translates to an allergy season that is about three weeks longer than in 1970.
With warmer temperatures, spring rainstorms can be heavier. Warmer air can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall events this season. Thunderstorms can also occur earlier, due to a trend of storms shifting east and shifting earlier.
Spring can bring anything, from snowstorms to severe weather, heatwaves and late-freezing nights.
