Whether you’re keeping track of the arrival of spring birds, or you’ve simply existed outside in the last few months, you may have noticed that things are weird. Here in Northfield, we’ve had a mild winter that’s been worrying our students. Snowfall records are 20 inches or more below average this winter (Livingston). Many of them have been noticing an early return of migratory birds and the ever dreaded wasps that hold Old Main hostage. Everything seems to be happening around three weeks ahead of schedule in comparison to recent years. 

From: https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/elnino/what-is-la-nina

These effects have been causing a lot of stress in our student body. The impacts of climate change have loomed over us in our minds for a long time, but now it feels like they’re actually upon us. Despite it seeming like the end of the world, some of these changes in the coming of spring are due to the period of El Niño that we’re in right now. Essentially, what’s happened is that from 2017 to 2023, the equatorial pacific ocean has had a moderate, maybe even a bit cold, temperature. This winter though, the temperatures have been higher, giving this year El Niño conditions. These warmer surface temperatures in the pacific lead to more mild winters in the Midwest. Generally, “El Niño is associated with a weakening of the seasonal cycle and La Niña with an exaggeration of the seasonal cycle.” (What is la niña? | el nino theme page—A comprehensive resource) The periods before and after El Niño events are commonly referred to as “Trans Niño,” and there is often a more active tornado season in the Midwest during these times (El Niño).

From: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/02/14/record-warm-winter-greatlakes-midwest-snow-ice-climate/

A more immediate effect you may have noticed is the lack of ice, and as nice as it is to not need as much road salt, we will see more erosion. Students and visitors haven’t had enough snow to do as much cross country skiing as they usually would, and the sledding scene has been nearly destroyed this season. Some students particularly look forward to the reawakening of the quad that happens with the arrival of spring, but some have felt like the spontaneous occasion has been taken away from them thanks to the weirdness this El Niño has caused for us. 

“The El Niño event of 1997-98 was the first El Niño event to be scientifically monitored from beginning to end. The 1997-98 event produced drought conditions in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Peru experienced very heavy rains and severe flooding. In the United States, increased winter rainfall hit California, while the Midwest experienced record-breaking warm temperatures during a period known as ‘the year without a winter’” (El Niño).

This El Niño is particularly concerning because the warming of the pacific ocean’s surface will speed up global warming. In years past, the colder temperatures have helped stave off atmospheric warming, the two La Niña conditions around 2010 were helpful even if they were on the weaker side. Climate change is still most definitely a challenge that we need to work together to combat, but it’s important to know that this funky winter is not the beginning of the end. We’ve been seeing that all around the world for a long time, it’s just that we’re seeing big impacts right in our backyard now.

In the meantime, try not to stress yourself out too much. It’s not a crime to enjoy the warmer weather, but we should stay mindful of how our actions play into our community’s impact on the environmental crisis we’re facing. 

Citations

• El Niño. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/el-nino
• Livingston, I. (2024, February 19). The Midwest is experiencing a ‘lost winter.’ Here’s what that means. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/02/14/record-warm-winter-greatlakes-midwest-snow-ice-climate/
• What is la niña? | el nino theme page—A comprehensive resource. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/elnino/what-is-la-nina