Current:Home > FinanceWhy so much of the US is unseasonably hot -TradeWisdom
Why so much of the US is unseasonably hot
View
Date:2025-04-11 19:57:32
A powerful winter storm was dumping deep snow in parts of the West on Monday and much of the central U.S. was unseasonably warm: People played golf in Wisconsin and comfortably walked their dogs in Iowa, where some bulbs were starting to flower. And high winds hiked fire risks in several states.
Why was it happening?
Three things explained the weird weather in much of the U.S.
THE JET STREAM
This band of strong winds keeps warm air, which blows up from the south, trapped below cold air that comes down from the north. The jet stream constantly shifts. Recently, it’s been sitting far north enough to mean that warm air has been blasting the normally frigid Upper Midwest.
“The orientation of it right now is not very winter-like,” said Andrew Orrison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.
GLOBAL WARMING
In all weather science, it’s virtually impossible to directly attribute any individual phenomenon to a specific cause. How global warming affects the position of the jet stream is a case in point.
But climate change, caused by human activities that release plant-warming gasses like carbon dioxide, is causing global temperatures to be warmer than normal. In fact, January 2024 broke the record for the warmest first month of the year, which was previously set in 2020, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Space Agency. January was 2.74 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than pre-industrial levels.
EL NIÑO
Also at play is a weather pattern called El Niño, ,which can cause the jet stream to sit more northward than usual.
The East Coast will see warmer weather arrive by mid-week, with cities like Washington and New York expecting temperatures well above normal.
Southern regions are also experiencing unusually warm weather, and could see temperatures in the ‘80s and ’90s. Dallas-Fort Worth is likely to be at least in the low ‘90s, which would break a daily record.
___
The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- These millionaires want to tax the rich, and they're lobbying working-class voters
- Jamie Foxx Takes a Boat Ride in First Public Appearance Since Hospitalization
- International screenwriters organize 'Day of Solidarity' supporting Hollywood writers
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- TikTok Just Became a Go-To Source for Real-Time Videos of Hurricane Ian
- Pressing Safety Concerns, Opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline Gear Up for the Next Round of Battle
- In Texas, a New Study Will Determine Where Extreme Weather Hazards and Environmental Justice Collide
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Not your typical army: how the Wagner Group operates
Ranking
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- Watch Carlee Russell press conference's: Police give update on missing Alabama woman
- How the Bud Light boycott shows brands at a crossroads: Use their voice, or shut up?
- RHONY's Kelly Bensimon Is Engaged to Scott Litner: See Her Ring
- Trump's 'stop
- A University of Maryland Center Just Gave Most State Agencies Ds and Fs on an Environmental Justice ‘Scorecard’
- Amid Rising Emissions, Could Congressional Republicans Help the US Reach Its Climate Targets?
- Take 20% Off the Cult Favorite Outdoor Voices Exercise Dress in Honor of Its 5-Year Anniversary
Recommendation
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
These millionaires want to tax the rich, and they're lobbying working-class voters
Why Paul Wesley Gives a Hard Pass to a Vampire Diaries Reboot
Some cancer drugs are in short supply, putting patients' care at risk. Here's why
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Dua Lipa Fantastically Frees the Nipple at Barbie Premiere
Andrea Bocelli Weighs in on Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian's Feud
How the Bud Light boycott shows brands at a crossroads: Use their voice, or shut up?