Climate Matters: Early January heat in Missouri linked to climate change

Fresh off one of its top 20 warmest years in history, Columbia and much of Mid-Missouri are once again soaring tens of degrees above average to kick off 2026.

High temperatures have repeatedly breached the 60s in recent days, over twenty degrees above the average high of 40 degrees for Columbia in early January.

This days-long heatwave exhibits signs of climate change. According to Climate Central's Climate Shift Index, the abnormal warmth across Missouri between January 5th and 8th was made up to 1 to 2 times more likely due to climate change.

The heat is even more out of the ordinary for the Upper Midwest, where climate change made these temperatures 3 to 5 times more likely in central Nebraska, western Iowa, eastern South Dakota, and far southern Minnesota.

While warmer winter temperatures might seem more comfortable, they aren't necessarily good for the environment. Warmer winters can disrupt natural seasonal cycles, reduce snowfall, shift growing seasons, and allow pests to thrive longer.

All seasons are warming, and 2025 is likely to be among the top 2 or top 3 warmest years in recorded history globally, following 2024 as the number one warmest year ever, and with 2023 currently in second place.

All ten years in the last decade are in the top 10 warmest years in global history.