Spring
Earlier each year,
Wetter and wetter,
Even winter weather,
Rainy and wet,
Seems pleasant to get;
But summer arrives
with land that is dry
no melting snow
to rivers will flow
Means drought and depletion,
wildfire devastation:
science support
and measures we sort
to save our planet–
we must get on this!
I’m concerned about climate change. Earlier springs present problems– such as a dryer summer ripe for wildfires and drought.
Like most people, I am enjoying the ice-free days, and love to see the green around the country-side. I take pictures while enjoying the fresh air and warm weather– taking journeys across mountain passes we probably wouldn’t take in winter or early spring.
We worry about the lack of snow pack, for its affect is real eastern Washington: cold winters hold the moisture until we need it in early summer. But, it is not there.
Washington State supports a climatology department, which provides the state with data and reports that show the problems and impacts:
How Climate Impacts the Northwest
Our climatologist, Nicholas Bond, travels around the state through Humanities Washington, to share the influence of climate on salmon in public venues, like our local library. In his presentation, the data shows this warmer and warmer trend with wetter winters and dryer summers, which effect the ways that salmon can survive– and us.
Such a future promises more winter floods and more summer droughts as precipitation falls more as rain rather than snow. It will still get cold and dark in winter, of course, and the higher elevations will still get snow. The problem is that the area of our mountain watersheds reliably receiving snow — the places that hold fresh water until the summer dry season — will decrease as freezing levels ratchet upward.
Seattle Times: What Climate Change Means to Our Crucial SnowpackWashington State