fbpx

February Poll Results: Throw caution to the wind

by | Mar 15, 2023

From February 22nd through the 27th, we contacted the EcoRight community asking, “What’s the daily temperature like today where you live?” The above map is a culmination of the answers. Alaska, missing from the map, unsurprisingly said it was “cold.”
Every month, republicEn asks 3 Questions for the EcoRight to learn more about our community.

The wild weather (also known as “global weirding”) across America inspired February’s poll! Headlines declared, “Los Angeles area still blanketed by snow in rare heavy snowstorm” (AP News) and “Early blooms could face late-March doom if cold returns​” (The Washington Times), referring to the early blooming of Washington D.C.’s annual tourist revenue-raking cherry blossom trees.

This got us to asking, “Is there wild weather everywhere? Who else is noticing?” It turns out 66% of poll respondents across 41 different states, in fact, were noticing, too, and felt like February’s weather was NOT normal.

Here’s what we found:

Poll answers represent republicEn members across 41 states, plus the District of Columbia.  For the 3rd poll in a row, California raked in the largest amount of answers, followed by South Carolina and Florida. The political leaning of poll takers: 52% lean Right, 29% claim Center, 16% lean Left, and 4% are unsure or prefer not to say.
Not all wild weather can be attributed to climate change, and we’re thankful when climate scientists differentiate the two. So what about this past February’s weather? Is it climate change related?

An article published by Yale Climate Connections says, “Yes.”

Extreme weather is increasing because of climate change-induced atmospheric circulation changes

Here are shared thoughts and opinions from our members on the subject:
      • “Golfed in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt this past week – February – that’s a bit crazy.” – Glenn B. in Georgia
      • “Normal before climate change, not unusual to get snow storms with multi inches, strong winds, etc. Climate change has reduced the frequency, severity during our winters. Climate change has brought wide variations in temperature, winds, precipitation for our winters. ‘Normal’ is no longer a useful word.” – Brian B. in Wisconsin
      • “There should be snow on the Smoky Mountains — but there is only rain. It’s humid and warm — many days over 70 degrees in January and February.” – Jan B. in Tennessee
      • “The temperature fluctuations in NH have been EXTREME! The Maple trees don’t know if it’s time to move their sap off from their roots or not!” – Mary R. in New Hampshire
      • “Normal to get snow. But not this much. Happy that the snowpack in the Sierra is finally going to be above normal!” – Patricia D. in California
      • “Today’s weather is the ‘normal’ winter weather in an otherwise ‘abnormally’ warm winter. In 1967 I was 12 years old, and the atmospheric CO2 was 322.31 ppm. Today that level averages 416 ppm. Fossil fuels wiped winter away.” – Steven H. in Michigan
      • “It’s hot and covered in pollen. All of the Azaleas will be done blooming before the end of March.” – Drew W. in South Carolina
      • “-13 this morning. Dogs didn’t doddle getting their business done this morning!” – Robin P. in Montana
      • “A high temperature tomorrow is expected in the low 80s, which could set an all time record. Daffodils are blooming. Farmers and gardeners are concerned about the danger of a late frost potentially ruining fruit tree crops in Virginia. ” – Chris W. in Virginia
      • “California had been in a drought, so our current, heavy mountain snowfall doesn’t feel normal. However, it actually is normal for us to receive big dumps of snow like this from time to time. Although the current series of storms could end up being our largest in decades, with 7 feet of accumulation, old timers have told of some truly huge snow events here. ” – Andrew B. in California

Still feeling weather curious? Give our podcast episode featuring retired WLTX-TV (Columbia, SC) meteorologist Jim Gandy a listen. (think pollen & poison ivy, oh my!)