Insider Blog: Warming trends showing cold snaps getting shorter

If it seems to you that winters just aren't what they used to be, you may be on to something.

According to data from Climate Central, winters have been getting warmer over the last 50 years.

Lowest minimum temperatures fluctuate each year, but over the last five decades, their fluctuations have been trending warmer in Columbia; to the tune of 11 degrees fahrenheit.

Those are extremes, but what about your average winter temperatues. Those are climbing too. They're up more than four degrees since 1970.

So yeah, winter has on average been losing its chill. We're not only not getting as cold in recent years, but we aren't staying as cold for as long.

Any where you see a light orange to dark red dot is a location that's seen a shortening of their longest streak of temperatures below normal in the last 50 years.

That data is reflected in local trends too. With Columbia's longest cold stretches down about 11 days in the last 50 years.

Confirming that your memory isn't failing, if you remember more reliably cold Decembers, Januarys, or even Februarys.

Climate Central notes the importance of these cold snaps to North America. They ultimately help to stave off disease carrying insects and maintain water reserves in snow pack during the winter.