If you felt like Missoula has had a very strange winter this year, you are not alone. With no snow in Nov.-Jan. to several feet being dumped down in early Feb., climate change has been heavily affecting Montana winters.

According to Weather.gov, Jan. temperatures are supposed to be around 17 degrees Fahrenheit but this year we had temperatures averaging in the high 20s, even reaching the low 40s at one point. This, along with almost no snow, made for a very strange January for most Montanans.

February was an absolutely freezing month. It began dumping snow in early Feb. and didn’t really let up until the very last week. Missoula got down to -8 degrees on several occasions and had several days where many people had trouble getting to school or work due to unsafe road conditions. 

The cold weather then abruptly stopped, the temperature rapidly rising and the snow melting at lightning speed. This has led to some concern regarding flooding in many Missoula areas. The rapid melting and high amounts of snow are leading to the river rising and many flood warnings have been issued to low-lying or poor-drainage areas.

The ski season was relatively good, with the lifts opening up very early in the year though there wasn’t much snow when that happened. It got very good in late Jan. and has continued to be quite lovely as the spring skiing season continues. 

According to Climate.gov, the Earth’s temperature has risen by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1850. This doesn’t seem like a lot, but the rate at which it has been rising has tripled since 1982, going up by .36 degrees Fahrenheit instead of .11 degrees.

Warmer temperatures can lead to worse air quality, flooding, more severe storms, extinction of species, and less food. Which all are huge causes for concern and could impact all of humanity. Climate change is an issue for all of us, not just those in Montana, and it is important to be aware of it and its consequences.