Winter Storms Are Hitting Harder Due to Climate Change

Here's what Earthjustice is doing about it.

A woman tries to protect her face from blowing snow while walking in white-out conditions in Jersey City, N.J., Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. The winter storm dropped more than two feet of snow on the area and may have broken a 122-year-old snowfall record for the state.
A woman protects her face while walking in white-out conditions in Jersey City, N.J., Feb. 1, 2021. The winter storm dropped more than two feet of snow on the area and may have broken a 122-year-old snowfall record for the state. (Seth Wenig / AP)

Even as climate change raises average global temperatures, that doesn’t spell the end of winters. Overall, winters are getting milder and shorter; but recent winters have brought intense snowstorms and record-breaking frost.

As a result, average global sea level has increased eight inches in the last 150 years.

While it may seem contradictory, climate change may be contributing to more extreme winter weather. As the warming atmosphere traps water vapor later and later into the year, that precipitation leads to heavier snowfall when the temperatures do drop.

Another factor is the rapidly warming Arctic, which some scientists believe is weakening the jet stream and causing disruptions of the polar vortex. The polar vortex refers to bands of wind and low air pressure near the North Pole, which normally lock cold air over Arctic. When those bands break down, icy air can escape south in the form of freezing winters.

In 2021, record-breaking snowstorms knocked out power for nearly 4.5 million homes in Texas as icy conditions and heating demands overwhelmed much of the region’s power supply. More than a hundred people died, and the storms caused an estimated $295 billion in damage.

Why is this happening?

Human activity is causing rapid changes to our global climate that are contributing to extreme weather conditions.

When fossil fuels are burned for electricity, heat, and transportation, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps solar radiation, is released into our atmosphere.

Over the past century, massive increases in carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gas emissions have caused the temperature on our planet to rise. That spike in global temperatures is fueling climate disasters that will only get worse unless we take action. Experts warn that we are running out of time to dramatically cut pollution to avoid climate catastrophe.

What is Earthjustice doing to help?

Americans across the political spectrum are feeling the urgency of our climate deadline and calling for action on a scale that matches the threat. We need bold and equitable climate solutions to move towards a pollution-free, 100% clean energy future.

Our attorneys use the law and partner with communities on the frontlines to tackle the climate crisis. Here are a few examples of the goals we’re working on and the progress we’ve achieved:

This fight to preserve a livable planet touches everyone. Together, we can drive transformative change in service of the earth and justice for its people.

Learn more about how climate change is fueling extreme weather.