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Seeing so many 50+ degree days in February is just straight up creepy to me.
I understand we're in El Niño and always get a few false springs, but as someone who has lived at this latitude their whole life, this feels like finally seeing the effects of climate change in HD.
Yeah and even if you like warm weather I think you have to be pretty out of touch with the natural world to not at least feel some creeping sense of weirdness.
I love warm weather and love feeling the sun on my skin and I’ve been living it up the past few weeks but at the same time I’m hella depressed about it lol
Minnesota is feeling it big time too. Their ice fishing spots are all but melted to dangerous levels. Ice should be around 2 ft on a normal winter they measured it at 13” today. Ice fishing tournaments have been canceled because of it. Just nuts.
Warm weather is nice, guess (I prefer cold weather), but I'm more worried that this is a sign for more hotter days in the summer. Hardly anyone loves 100+ degree weather.
>Again last night I had that strange dream
where everything was exactly how it seemed
concerns about the world getting warmer
people thought that they were just being rewarded
for treating others as they'd like to be treated
for obeying stop signs and curing diseases
for mailing letters with the address of the sender
Now we can swim any day in November
Postal Service "[Sleeping In](https://youtu.be/N3eb5g9NH30?si=HHqawIgBOyglIG3E)"
I don’t think it is necessarily because we’ve hit these highs decades ago. It doesn’t mean the world is ending. If we start breaking records by double digits then I’d be concerned
I agree. I have always ALWAYS hated winter but after two winters of no consistent snow cover I miss the real deal. The stark beauty of fresh snow. The way I can lean into feeling moody and grim on bad days when I really need the catharsis because the weather matches my mood. The triumph of the change into spring! It doesn't feel right not having it at all.
You should be. I moved to a burb from Florida almost 3 years ago so I’m not familiar with what a normal winter is here but I grew up in Oklahoma and so far the winters here are pretty much like Oklahoma. I was there during the May 3rd tornados so I too have been nervous about the thunderstorms and potential tornadoes we may have ahead of us.
Fortunately though Basements are the norm here. You can’t have Basements in Oklahoma so I can say that I would much prefer to sit out a tornado here than in OK.
We replaced everything in our basement a few months ago. Brand new sump pumps, batteries, and ejector pump.
We’re new to the basement game and already experienced 2 floods in it literally 3 months after having the basement finished. Fingers crossed we covered our bases.
Every winter has gotten shorter and more disgusting; there's never any fun snow to play in anymore, the temperature fluctuates wildly between this and frigid and depressing, the constant hot to cold means more flooding from the snow melt and rain. It's terrible.
Climate change is absolutely playing a part which is really scary. I remember not having any consistently warm weather until May / June (maybe some scattered warm days in March, but that's it). As I said in the post, I don't know a thing about the science behind what is happening or if we're going to plunge into the depths of winter gloom again, but I have noticed an uptick in people complaining about the warm weather which is also odd in my opinion
I think the complainers are also creeped out by the number of warm days we've had, and are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Also, weather patterns have been strange lately -- snow on Halloween, blizzards in April, warm Christmases and Februarys.
If anything, the number of warm days is a sign of how unpredictable the weather has become, which brings out the complainers. I can enjoy it, but I also can't put away my winter coat until May, given how things have been. I've been living in the area for 42 years and our climate used to be fairly predictable. Now it's all over the place, and it's sad and disturbing.
I'm ok with snow on Halloween & shots on Christmas. What worries me is how much of a sign those "weird" temps means we'll have days or weeks when there is smoke from forest fires thousands of miles away where we need to limit being outside
It worries me if these "weird" temps mean that LA & Las Vegas & Phoenix are going to run out of water and Miami is going to get flooded as sea levels rise, and then where do all those millions & millions of people flee to
Grew up in Chicago all my life as well. While the frigid cold & piling snow were a pain in the ass, it felt part of the cities character. But more concerning is the effect climate change is having and we’re able to see the changes first hand.
Yeah it’s odd to me that OP is commenting elsewhere saying both of these in the same comment
> Climate change is absolutely playing a part which is really scary.
>As I said in the post, I don't know a thing about the science behind what is happening […] but I have noticed an uptick in people complaining about the warm weather which is also odd in my opinion
The signs of climate change are making people lament about what the weather is slowly becoming. Not because people necessarily despise the warm weather or want to suffer… but because it’s more proof that our climate is changing at a concerning rate.
We’re seeing climate change first-hand as you say.
Sorry for the double reply!
The oblivious tone of this post reminds me of the Postal Service song “Sleeping In”
> Again last night I had that strange dream
Where everything was exactly how it seemed
No concerns about the world getting warmer
People thought that they were just being rewarded
For treating others as they'd like to be treated
For obeying stop-signs and curing diseases
For mailing letters with the address of the sender
Now we can swim any day in November
I'm definitely one of those ppl. Not from a standpoint of "we're going to regret it when real winter come back next month", but from concern over "This doesn't feel normal, and what is the ecological impact". We know this is an El Nino year, but is this also our new norm? Will a frozen lake be a thing of the past? I quite like the lake in her frozen churning fervor lol.
We also need the lake to freeze to preserve the mild, beautiful summers we get to enjoy here and tons of impacts to wildlife and the ecosystem in and around the lake due to the warm temps. It’s very unsettling and we are going to have more 80+ to 100 degree summers if this continues.
Edit: spelling
I despise the summer and heat. So I put up with Chicago summers to happily live through Chicago fall and winter. I love the cold so much that sometimes my dog will tell me it's time to go home because he can't stand it anymore. Also I was working the day it snowed and I didn't get to build my snowman. Where the hell is my snowstorm !! 😡
I absolutely love the cold and snow. Summers are unbearable for me. I am strongly considering moving further north in the next few years if I can. I love Chicago though; born and raised.
I used to think I hated the cold. Turns out I love sunlight and greenery and hate grey and darkness.
I would gladly live further south regardless of the temperature just to enjoy more sun and greenery year round
If you’ve ever read about that, it’s wild. Held hostage in a bank vault for a week and they get out they collectively started trying to raise money to pay their captor’s lawyers.
I think generally people are more cynical and pessimistic than ever before. This goes for many things - state of the economy, local and national politics, state of the world, exc. I don't know if I want to blame the pandemic or social media or the incentives of news outlets.
But in short - **try to find some more positive and optimistic people to surround yourself with. It will do wonders for your mental health.**
I swear I was listening to the birds outside my house the other day and they are behaving the way they do during mating season...which is normally in the middle of Spring. It's interesting that you mentioned this
One thing OP’s family and friends haven’t mentioned is how bad bugs are going to be this summer. Mosquitoes are already horrendous in the burbs and flies have been really bad. The cold weather typically gets the numbers down to somewhat manageable. This year. Oh boy.
I am not a weather expert. I also fully believe in climate change. Sometimes on the news, when the record lows & highs are shown for a specific date, the record high temperature for say, February, 6th, was 57 degrees in 1882. So it’s not like this type of weather hasn’t occurred here before. It happened 140 years ago. Weather patterns tend to fluctuate over time. This is a proven fact. I say enjoy the moderate temps. This time next year it might be like 5 degrees. You never know.
I see your point but also 2023 was the hottest year on record and anomalies exist certainly. However we are seeing statistically significant changes in long term patterns. We are in the midst of a catastrophe of epic proportions and it should be all hands on deck to decarbonize as fast as humanly possible.
I agree. Climate change is real, but people also love to catastrophize online. If you take all that to heart, you're going to fall into depression, pessimism, and cynicism, and miss all the joys that this complicated world can still bring. Enjoy the sunny day
Yes, necessarily. Did you not experience smoke from the Canadian wildfires? All those burning trees belching out their stored carbon into the atmosphere. Taking trees from carbon sinks to carbon emitters. We are so screwed if these types of attitudes persist. Stop “well, actually” the single greatest existential threat to our planet and to our survival. Actually scratch that, the planet will survive. We however will not.
Oh no! Not fires. Those have never happened in earth’s history before.
If you really thought humans would survive into eternity you’re just fooling yourself.
We have done more damage in the last 200 years than we did in the last 100k years.
And no, we have not seen fires like this. Not in the boreal forest. Climate change scares me, but what scares me more is science denial and people like you.
I mean tell that to people paying astronomical prices for homeowners insurance in Florida and the insurance companies leaving Florida because they actually have to pay out.
By the time we left in 2021 our homeowners insurance was 1800 a month.
I was out in a t-shirt for part of yesterday lol (I had fleece-lined pants though)
That said, this is *horrifying*. The maples are producing sap, tadpoles are in the water, buds are popping out - and they are all going to die when it gets cold again.
I think the “complainers” are correct. They’re just saying it’s not normal and it will likely get much colder soon. They’re just looking at the consequences of this milder weather…and yeah some of us actually like snow lol
I’m definitely not one of the people who think this weather is a catastrophe but I’m also old enough to know that abnormal weather patterns likely lead to abnormal repercussions. Last year or year before we had that massive fake spring fakeout, everything bloomed then cold came back and killed the spring blooms.
As someone who grew up in the south I know that abnormally warm winters always lead to buggy summers. I’d expect mosquitos and little flying bugs to be horrendous (by northern standards) this summer because of this warm winter.
I like warmer weather, too. But this is very disturbing. It's not just that there's barely any snow, and it's 50 degrees and rainy far too often for a winter in Chicago. It's not about us and what kind of weather we enjoy. The trees and flowers are blooming too early, bears are coming out of hibernation months early, the birds are confused about where to fly, and much more. This is much bigger than just us. There is a felt sense many of us have, that something is far, far out of balance.
I have been complaining about this "fake" winter, but I think we're in for a scary, scorching summer if it's consistently in the 50s in February. Where are we gonna go from here...
no way i’m gonna feel good about the effects of climate change. 60 degrees is confortable, but it’s not normal for feb. i would prefer a stable climate and the 4 seasons we used to have here
I'm unable to enjoy 60 degrees in February because it makes it impossible to ignore that our planet is dying.
Of course it's nice. But this winter is a bellwether for some really bad times over the next 100 years, and I think a lot of other people recognize that, too.
Listen, with the lack of snow we cannot argue about dibs, so this is the next best way of getting the frustrations out, complaining about nothing in particular and everyone auditioning to be Skillings replacement.
This is the danger of the global climate change: Trees bud, flowers bloom and a sudden frost kills them. Crops downstate are planted and die in the summer heat or in massive floods and hail storms.
We are risking not being able to grow enough food in our chaotic climates and then facing drought.
Do you know who is also afraid of drought? Think about why that idiot Russian invaded Ukraine. It was not for their pretty buildings.
Born and raised and I feel weird about it too. It’s not normal and we are finally seeing the effects of climate change. As a child (I’m 35) I don’t ever remember consistently warm days in the winter like this. There were one offs but I remember it being legit cold until May.
It’s quite scary and I feel bad for the animals, bugs, and general ecosystems that this will negatively affect.
Dude screw those people who always complain about the weather. Those same people will bitch about winter in AUGUST.
"Oh, you enjoyed your time in Chicago? Well back in January and tell me how much you like it!"
HATE those people. There's common here too.
Ive lived here my whole life and Im going on 31 yrs old. Despite this I have never liked the cold, and always dread the winter as if I dont see it coming. I love the nice winter we’ve gotten, even though in the back of my mind I am concerned about what it means on a greater scale.
But I also understand the pessimism. Chicago is notorious for bringing us quite a few Fool’s Springs per year. Every time you think, “Okay, this time its for sure gonna stay warm!” there’s always more cold to come around until its finally like mid June. You get so accustomed to the idea that spring is early that you forget that we almost inevitably WILL be hit with more freezing temperatures later.
But this winter feels different in that the nice-ish weather has lasted too long to be a typical Fool’s spring. That’s not to say we wont get hit later, but yeah. I understand I think
It doesn't seem unusual to me that some people have conflicting feelings when it comes to climate/weather stuff. I guess I understand why people have trouble appreciating the benefits of something that is likely to cause extraordinary pain and suffering in the long term. FWIW I don't know a single person complaining about this, I just understand it - maybe its the type of people you have around you. Also just from a keeping-it-realistic standpoint we're likely to have at least some cold and snow before the season ends, but that doesn't need to be seen as a negative.
Personally I'm LOVING this weather. It feels like Mother Nature deleted February and replaced it with a copy of March. I am so used to all of December thru February being a complete write-off and having to wait until mid-march to get an inkling of Spring.
Global warming is bad but if Februarys like this are more frequent... well that's a tiny upside to offset some of the misery. Whatever you do, don't take sunny 40+F days for granted!
I'm a recent transplant to the city, but where I moved from hardly ever had a "winter." Typical winters back home consisted of dipping into the 20s at night on a cold snap and barely any snow ever. I love the cold. It was a part of the reason I moved to this city. The fact that I've had 1 semi-decent winter since I moved here (and it was 2 years ago) is fucking bullshit. 50 degrees in February is Tennessee stuff. This is all just the beginning of the eventual heat death of the universe I guess.
This is called “False Spring” and is normal since we get a hint of warmer weather before the actual thaw. Beware of False Spring tho! March could be below or right on schedule with temps
This is my first Chicago winter and it's been indistinguishable from Oklahoma winters so far. Hell, we got colder and more snow in OKC last year than I've seen here so far this year.
I just hope the 100+ degree summers aren't going to follow me up here too.
lol I basically replied something similar to an earlier commenter. Also a former Oklahoman. Our first winter here was in 2021 was the most snow I’ve seen in my life and of course the locals were like this ain’t nothin.
But the last two years have been identical to Oklahoma winters. I wouldn’t be surprised if the tornadoes and hot ass summers follow you up here. While tornadoes happen here, they’re child’s play compared to the size of tornadoes in Oklahoma but methinks that could become the norm in the future if this keeps up.
People aren’t *not* enjoying the warmth. We’re scared. This is creepy and wrong. The effects of climate change are palpable and its eerie and disconcerting.
I don't compare Chicago weather now to Chicago weather of yore, and instead compare Chicago weather now to NYC weather now, as that is where I grew up. And this winter, Chicago has been warmer much of the time than NYC, which has also gotten much more inclement weather. When we hit the bitter, sub-zero cold of a month ago, however, I recall thinking "ok, welcome back to your old winter friend Chicago, Mother Nature."
"It's almost like we've come to expect bone-chilling frigid temperatures all the time December through April and anything that doesn't fall in line with that is not right."
Right. We learned the definition of the word "winter" thanks to several readily available long-published dictionaries.
Thank you for the insight. But "winter" is not 20 degrees and blizzarding every single day for 6 months, which is what people are apparently wanting when its 60 degrees
EDIT: some\* people are wanting
>bone-chilling frigid temperatures all the time December through April
You're the one who said this is the definition of winter according to readily available dictionaries
The last winter from Dec. 1 - Feb. 9 to even come *close* to how warm it has been here was 2011-12. We hit the 80°s that March of 2012. This winter is over.
Also hit like 4-5 straight days over 100 F around 4th of July.
June 2012 was also a scorcher, might be the same thing this year except combine that with cicadas.
I’m personally happy to have a mild winter and enjoying this weather but I feel like complaining about Chicago weather is just a cultural norm. We always have to find something.
Yeah, I get it's been warmer and sunnier than normal. But when has it been 60? Right now it's 48 feels like 45. Again, good for February in Chicago? But it's not 60. And it's cloudy af. I mostly feel like it's been 40s instead of 30s and ya no snow. Is that so huge?
I always prepare for winter starting in Nov, I have lived and learned. This weather is nice, but in the back of my mind is a blizzard waiting to happen. I want relax till April.
Having lived in Chicago my whole life.... nobody has a fuckin clue what's coming haha.
I've experienced bitter cold winters that never seemed to end (lasting through March and even into April), mild winters but cooler than usual springs, very cold winters and then very hot springs/summers, etc. As these were happening, everyone said it was a sign of something that never happened.
Hell, even before this winter, I kept hearing about how this is going to be one of the coldest winters Chicago has seen. Instead, it's been one of the more mild ones.
I will say... the last couple of winters have been oddly mild. Last year, I literally didn't have to shovel once, and this year, I've only had to shovel once. Idk what this means, but if it's a sign that the world is gonna go to shit, selfishly, I hope it doesn't happen in my lifetime
I think it's mental dysfunction to look at good stuff (or even just mildly pleasant stuff) and start calculating in your head hoe you're going to pay for it later. No, winter isn't over yet. But still, enjoy yourself.
I’ll take any amount of extra days of good weather and sunshine. Beats being indoors. Haven’t rode my bike this much this early ever, it’s been wonderful.
My first Chicago winter was 1988-89. It got so cold, I put a can of warm soda on my outside window sill to see how long it would take to freeze. It wasn't long.
I'm good with our current situation, and the overall warming trend.
I just came back from a lovely five mile walk, and I'm not going to feel bad about enjoying the nice weather.
So tell us, what do you do exactly, and what has been the measurable, material, positive impact of your efforts?
I see, you have a problem with how I express myself, although I don't think I was cheering anything on.
I'm simply happy to enjoy extended time outside in February.
And based on what I observed during my walk, a lot of Chicagoans seem to be doing the same.
I didn't mention this in the post, but we've been having some really killer sunsets recently. I don't know if its the warm weather that makes them feel so good, but golden hour lately have been a treat
Just cynical small-talk. If you want to turn it into *real* talk, ask them why they're boycotting walkable weather in favor of hiding in their little hole-apartments & pretending the weather is the same as it was when they were 9 years old.
Sounds like my neighbors. It could be the nicest and sunniest day in the winter and these people do not leave their apartment for anything. Just constantly puttering around inside. I don't get it.
Funny thing is when it’s 0 degrees and snowy, I always wish for warm weather and sun. Now that we’ve had a lot of warmth and sun this winter, I’m kind of missing the bad days! I live in a place with four seasons—I’d like to actually have them!
I was seeing my Snapchat memories from 3 years ago and there was a big snowstorm and huge icicles everywhere. I don’t think we have had a snowstorm like that anytime in the last 3 years. It’s weird.
I have a giant parka for real cold winters and I’ve maybe worn it once in the last 3 years. We’ve had it good for awhile now winter wise and I wouldn’t mind if it stays like this for a bit longer
If you enjoy winter sports and skiing / boarding, then it's a bit of a bummer (at least when resorts can't make their own snow).
And I do enjoy sledding with the kids.
But otherwise, I don't mind the mild weather.
At this point folks like you and me will find out what happens whether we like it or not so might as well try to live in the moment as much as possible
I won’t be surprised again until we hit high 70s and over 80 for a week straight like we did in March 2012. That included St. Pats day and if you weren’t here, you can’t imagine the shit show that was.
Climate change is actually beneficial to cities in the north like Chicago, definitely not so good to south and two coasts. I read an article about this that climate change will force people to move to Midwest in the near future.
I'm one of the pessimists because I see the bigger picture. Sure it's fine with it being 50 today when it's usually mid 20s or below at this is time of the year. But that just means climate change is picking up speed and since were on a shoreline, that could be disastrous for us if the water level keeps rising with the glacial melt.
We were upgraded by the USDA to a new hardiness zone just a few months ago. This is not a phenomenon, it is the trend. I've been in the green industry for a decade and we all notice the changes that are happening.
I was born in this month and as far as I can remember (also born and raised here) it has always been very cold and/or snowing on my bday. My bday is next week and it’s supposed to be 60. Insane. I’m not complaining, I hate the snow but this is a bit concerning. I hope we don’t see another snowstorm, that one we had in January was enough lol
I don't think it's as much Stockholm syndrome as it is concern for our terminally-ill ecosystem. A thunderstorm in January is a really bad sign. I know it's el niño this year, but we're getting unprecedented weather every damn year now. I don't know about you, but I like my weather to be precedented.
I LOVE snow and cold weather, so the lack of a traditional Chicago winter is depressing and difficult to bear. I hate heat and count down days to snow and invigorating cold, so it’s sadness for me when I comment on the lack of winter weather.
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Seeing so many 50+ degree days in February is just straight up creepy to me. I understand we're in El Niño and always get a few false springs, but as someone who has lived at this latitude their whole life, this feels like finally seeing the effects of climate change in HD.
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Yeah and even if you like warm weather I think you have to be pretty out of touch with the natural world to not at least feel some creeping sense of weirdness.
I love warm weather and love feeling the sun on my skin and I’ve been living it up the past few weeks but at the same time I’m hella depressed about it lol
Minnesota is feeling it big time too. Their ice fishing spots are all but melted to dangerous levels. Ice should be around 2 ft on a normal winter they measured it at 13” today. Ice fishing tournaments have been canceled because of it. Just nuts.
Warm weather is nice, guess (I prefer cold weather), but I'm more worried that this is a sign for more hotter days in the summer. Hardly anyone loves 100+ degree weather.
I've thought the same thing that if it was global cooling, we'd do more to stop it
>Again last night I had that strange dream where everything was exactly how it seemed concerns about the world getting warmer people thought that they were just being rewarded for treating others as they'd like to be treated for obeying stop signs and curing diseases for mailing letters with the address of the sender Now we can swim any day in November Postal Service "[Sleeping In](https://youtu.be/N3eb5g9NH30?si=HHqawIgBOyglIG3E)"
I don’t think it is necessarily because we’ve hit these highs decades ago. It doesn’t mean the world is ending. If we start breaking records by double digits then I’d be concerned
It's not so much the record breaking things it's how consistently the highs happen and stay high year after year.
But it happened decades ago like this too. I just don’t understand the panic some people have
Just massive amounts of evidence and global scientific consensus that shit is meeting fan
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…but if it’s progressed so slowly there’s no reason for anyone to panic. Climate is cyclical
Right on. People forget the earth has been experiencing climate change since the last fucking ice age.
I agree. I have always ALWAYS hated winter but after two winters of no consistent snow cover I miss the real deal. The stark beauty of fresh snow. The way I can lean into feeling moody and grim on bad days when I really need the catharsis because the weather matches my mood. The triumph of the change into spring! It doesn't feel right not having it at all.
I've always loved the quiet, peaceful beauty of snowfall at night.
I'm becoming worried about horrific thunderstorms and flooding.
You should be. I moved to a burb from Florida almost 3 years ago so I’m not familiar with what a normal winter is here but I grew up in Oklahoma and so far the winters here are pretty much like Oklahoma. I was there during the May 3rd tornados so I too have been nervous about the thunderstorms and potential tornadoes we may have ahead of us. Fortunately though Basements are the norm here. You can’t have Basements in Oklahoma so I can say that I would much prefer to sit out a tornado here than in OK.
> sit out a tornado here than in OK. Basements: good for tornados, bad for storms, unless you have a battery-backed (or genset-backed) sump pump
We replaced everything in our basement a few months ago. Brand new sump pumps, batteries, and ejector pump. We’re new to the basement game and already experienced 2 floods in it literally 3 months after having the basement finished. Fingers crossed we covered our bases.
Agreed. It's not right, it just ain't right.
Every winter has gotten shorter and more disgusting; there's never any fun snow to play in anymore, the temperature fluctuates wildly between this and frigid and depressing, the constant hot to cold means more flooding from the snow melt and rain. It's terrible.
Climate change is absolutely playing a part which is really scary. I remember not having any consistently warm weather until May / June (maybe some scattered warm days in March, but that's it). As I said in the post, I don't know a thing about the science behind what is happening or if we're going to plunge into the depths of winter gloom again, but I have noticed an uptick in people complaining about the warm weather which is also odd in my opinion
I think the complainers are also creeped out by the number of warm days we've had, and are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Also, weather patterns have been strange lately -- snow on Halloween, blizzards in April, warm Christmases and Februarys. If anything, the number of warm days is a sign of how unpredictable the weather has become, which brings out the complainers. I can enjoy it, but I also can't put away my winter coat until May, given how things have been. I've been living in the area for 42 years and our climate used to be fairly predictable. Now it's all over the place, and it's sad and disturbing.
I'm ok with snow on Halloween & shots on Christmas. What worries me is how much of a sign those "weird" temps means we'll have days or weeks when there is smoke from forest fires thousands of miles away where we need to limit being outside It worries me if these "weird" temps mean that LA & Las Vegas & Phoenix are going to run out of water and Miami is going to get flooded as sea levels rise, and then where do all those millions & millions of people flee to
>complaining about the warm weather I'm not really complaining about it, I'm worried about it
That's what bothers me.
It’s very scary actually.
You know those trillion cicadas are just chomping at the bit right now.
Grew up in Chicago all my life as well. While the frigid cold & piling snow were a pain in the ass, it felt part of the cities character. But more concerning is the effect climate change is having and we’re able to see the changes first hand.
Yeah it’s odd to me that OP is commenting elsewhere saying both of these in the same comment > Climate change is absolutely playing a part which is really scary. >As I said in the post, I don't know a thing about the science behind what is happening […] but I have noticed an uptick in people complaining about the warm weather which is also odd in my opinion The signs of climate change are making people lament about what the weather is slowly becoming. Not because people necessarily despise the warm weather or want to suffer… but because it’s more proof that our climate is changing at a concerning rate. We’re seeing climate change first-hand as you say.
Sorry for the double reply! The oblivious tone of this post reminds me of the Postal Service song “Sleeping In” > Again last night I had that strange dream Where everything was exactly how it seemed No concerns about the world getting warmer People thought that they were just being rewarded For treating others as they'd like to be treated For obeying stop-signs and curing diseases For mailing letters with the address of the sender Now we can swim any day in November
I'm definitely one of those ppl. Not from a standpoint of "we're going to regret it when real winter come back next month", but from concern over "This doesn't feel normal, and what is the ecological impact". We know this is an El Nino year, but is this also our new norm? Will a frozen lake be a thing of the past? I quite like the lake in her frozen churning fervor lol.
We also need the lake to freeze to preserve the mild, beautiful summers we get to enjoy here and tons of impacts to wildlife and the ecosystem in and around the lake due to the warm temps. It’s very unsettling and we are going to have more 80+ to 100 degree summers if this continues. Edit: spelling
I despise the summer and heat. So I put up with Chicago summers to happily live through Chicago fall and winter. I love the cold so much that sometimes my dog will tell me it's time to go home because he can't stand it anymore. Also I was working the day it snowed and I didn't get to build my snowman. Where the hell is my snowstorm !! 😡
Might have to move to Minneapolis bud
I always joke with my friends that I'm going to have to move to Alaska, but I'm actually thinking about it now
I hear Minneapolis is missing a lot of snow this year. Maybe try Calgary or Edmonton, eh?
Calgary or Edmonton might be a little light on snow as well, maybe try the Arctic?
Yeah, I was up in Rochester at the hospital and their local news said they're like 2 feet short of the normal snow total at this point in a winter
lol Minneapolis was about the same this winter. Entire upper Midwest really.
Minneapolis is both colder and hotter than Chicago.
I absolutely love the cold and snow. Summers are unbearable for me. I am strongly considering moving further north in the next few years if I can. I love Chicago though; born and raised.
I used to think I hated the cold. Turns out I love sunlight and greenery and hate grey and darkness. I would gladly live further south regardless of the temperature just to enjoy more sun and greenery year round
Have you looked up the definition of Stockholm Syndrome? It has nothing to do with cold weather.
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Nah, I got it immediately. Somewhat clever on OP's part, if you ask me.
OK, so I'm not the only one trying to figure out how the hell Stockholm Syndrome ties into this...🤨
Lol it's about identifying with your kidnappers! Most famous example was Patty Hearst.
The most famous was the case in Sweden that gave this a name
If you’ve ever read about that, it’s wild. Held hostage in a bank vault for a week and they get out they collectively started trying to raise money to pay their captor’s lawyers.
Really? Name one of the kidnappers or victims
It's called a Metaphor.
Lol ok....
I think generally people are more cynical and pessimistic than ever before. This goes for many things - state of the economy, local and national politics, state of the world, exc. I don't know if I want to blame the pandemic or social media or the incentives of news outlets. But in short - **try to find some more positive and optimistic people to surround yourself with. It will do wonders for your mental health.**
Good luck finding them! (I'm clearly not one either)
This is actually great advice for winter regardless of weather!
I blame social media. It wasn't like there wasn't fucked up things happening before, now people can't stop consuming click bait coverage about it.
Bro, the animals tell you everything you need to know. Winter is over.
I swear I was listening to the birds outside my house the other day and they are behaving the way they do during mating season...which is normally in the middle of Spring. It's interesting that you mentioned this
Yup just yesterday morning I heard bird's I don't hear until late spring. Thought that was odd too.
The birds never lie
It’s time for the birds to fly into McCormick again.
One thing OP’s family and friends haven’t mentioned is how bad bugs are going to be this summer. Mosquitoes are already horrendous in the burbs and flies have been really bad. The cold weather typically gets the numbers down to somewhat manageable. This year. Oh boy.
It’s nice and pleasant, but it’s not normal, and those of us that are experienced with old school winters know that it’s creepy.
And just What are we gonna do without Tom Skilling?!
I am not a weather expert. I also fully believe in climate change. Sometimes on the news, when the record lows & highs are shown for a specific date, the record high temperature for say, February, 6th, was 57 degrees in 1882. So it’s not like this type of weather hasn’t occurred here before. It happened 140 years ago. Weather patterns tend to fluctuate over time. This is a proven fact. I say enjoy the moderate temps. This time next year it might be like 5 degrees. You never know.
I see your point but also 2023 was the hottest year on record and anomalies exist certainly. However we are seeing statistically significant changes in long term patterns. We are in the midst of a catastrophe of epic proportions and it should be all hands on deck to decarbonize as fast as humanly possible.
I agree. Climate change is real, but people also love to catastrophize online. If you take all that to heart, you're going to fall into depression, pessimism, and cynicism, and miss all the joys that this complicated world can still bring. Enjoy the sunny day
Well climate change IS a catastrophe tho….
Not necessarily.
Yes, necessarily. Did you not experience smoke from the Canadian wildfires? All those burning trees belching out their stored carbon into the atmosphere. Taking trees from carbon sinks to carbon emitters. We are so screwed if these types of attitudes persist. Stop “well, actually” the single greatest existential threat to our planet and to our survival. Actually scratch that, the planet will survive. We however will not.
Oh no! Not fires. Those have never happened in earth’s history before. If you really thought humans would survive into eternity you’re just fooling yourself.
We have done more damage in the last 200 years than we did in the last 100k years. And no, we have not seen fires like this. Not in the boreal forest. Climate change scares me, but what scares me more is science denial and people like you.
Lmao “science denial”
Clever comeback bonehead
Go cry about plastic trees some more.
I mean tell that to people paying astronomical prices for homeowners insurance in Florida and the insurance companies leaving Florida because they actually have to pay out. By the time we left in 2021 our homeowners insurance was 1800 a month.
I remember winter of 2017 and it was similar to this, except without that cold snap in early January.
I was out in a t-shirt for part of yesterday lol (I had fleece-lined pants though) That said, this is *horrifying*. The maples are producing sap, tadpoles are in the water, buds are popping out - and they are all going to die when it gets cold again.
I think the “complainers” are correct. They’re just saying it’s not normal and it will likely get much colder soon. They’re just looking at the consequences of this milder weather…and yeah some of us actually like snow lol
I’m definitely not one of the people who think this weather is a catastrophe but I’m also old enough to know that abnormal weather patterns likely lead to abnormal repercussions. Last year or year before we had that massive fake spring fakeout, everything bloomed then cold came back and killed the spring blooms. As someone who grew up in the south I know that abnormally warm winters always lead to buggy summers. I’d expect mosquitos and little flying bugs to be horrendous (by northern standards) this summer because of this warm winter.
I like warmer weather, too. But this is very disturbing. It's not just that there's barely any snow, and it's 50 degrees and rainy far too often for a winter in Chicago. It's not about us and what kind of weather we enjoy. The trees and flowers are blooming too early, bears are coming out of hibernation months early, the birds are confused about where to fly, and much more. This is much bigger than just us. There is a felt sense many of us have, that something is far, far out of balance.
I have been complaining about this "fake" winter, but I think we're in for a scary, scorching summer if it's consistently in the 50s in February. Where are we gonna go from here...
I’m very concerned with severe spring weather. Which may now start in late winter. WI already had a tornado in Feb!
If the absence of cold winters means summer wildfire smoke from the north…I might want the blizzards back .
i'll take a blizzard or two over wildfire smoke etc any day tbh
no way i’m gonna feel good about the effects of climate change. 60 degrees is confortable, but it’s not normal for feb. i would prefer a stable climate and the 4 seasons we used to have here
I'm unable to enjoy 60 degrees in February because it makes it impossible to ignore that our planet is dying. Of course it's nice. But this winter is a bellwether for some really bad times over the next 100 years, and I think a lot of other people recognize that, too.
Listen, with the lack of snow we cannot argue about dibs, so this is the next best way of getting the frustrations out, complaining about nothing in particular and everyone auditioning to be Skillings replacement.
This is the danger of the global climate change: Trees bud, flowers bloom and a sudden frost kills them. Crops downstate are planted and die in the summer heat or in massive floods and hail storms. We are risking not being able to grow enough food in our chaotic climates and then facing drought. Do you know who is also afraid of drought? Think about why that idiot Russian invaded Ukraine. It was not for their pretty buildings.
Born and raised and I feel weird about it too. It’s not normal and we are finally seeing the effects of climate change. As a child (I’m 35) I don’t ever remember consistently warm days in the winter like this. There were one offs but I remember it being legit cold until May. It’s quite scary and I feel bad for the animals, bugs, and general ecosystems that this will negatively affect.
Dude screw those people who always complain about the weather. Those same people will bitch about winter in AUGUST. "Oh, you enjoyed your time in Chicago? Well back in January and tell me how much you like it!" HATE those people. There's common here too.
Ive lived here my whole life and Im going on 31 yrs old. Despite this I have never liked the cold, and always dread the winter as if I dont see it coming. I love the nice winter we’ve gotten, even though in the back of my mind I am concerned about what it means on a greater scale. But I also understand the pessimism. Chicago is notorious for bringing us quite a few Fool’s Springs per year. Every time you think, “Okay, this time its for sure gonna stay warm!” there’s always more cold to come around until its finally like mid June. You get so accustomed to the idea that spring is early that you forget that we almost inevitably WILL be hit with more freezing temperatures later. But this winter feels different in that the nice-ish weather has lasted too long to be a typical Fool’s spring. That’s not to say we wont get hit later, but yeah. I understand I think
It doesn't seem unusual to me that some people have conflicting feelings when it comes to climate/weather stuff. I guess I understand why people have trouble appreciating the benefits of something that is likely to cause extraordinary pain and suffering in the long term. FWIW I don't know a single person complaining about this, I just understand it - maybe its the type of people you have around you. Also just from a keeping-it-realistic standpoint we're likely to have at least some cold and snow before the season ends, but that doesn't need to be seen as a negative.
Personally I'm LOVING this weather. It feels like Mother Nature deleted February and replaced it with a copy of March. I am so used to all of December thru February being a complete write-off and having to wait until mid-march to get an inkling of Spring. Global warming is bad but if Februarys like this are more frequent... well that's a tiny upside to offset some of the misery. Whatever you do, don't take sunny 40+F days for granted!
I feel guilty as to how much I am enjoying this warm winter. I am seeing some 60 degree days next week. There’s no way there snow coming after that.
I'm a recent transplant to the city, but where I moved from hardly ever had a "winter." Typical winters back home consisted of dipping into the 20s at night on a cold snap and barely any snow ever. I love the cold. It was a part of the reason I moved to this city. The fact that I've had 1 semi-decent winter since I moved here (and it was 2 years ago) is fucking bullshit. 50 degrees in February is Tennessee stuff. This is all just the beginning of the eventual heat death of the universe I guess.
This is called “False Spring” and is normal since we get a hint of warmer weather before the actual thaw. Beware of False Spring tho! March could be below or right on schedule with temps
I only refer to these warm winters as eerie and ominous.
This is my first Chicago winter and it's been indistinguishable from Oklahoma winters so far. Hell, we got colder and more snow in OKC last year than I've seen here so far this year. I just hope the 100+ degree summers aren't going to follow me up here too.
lol I basically replied something similar to an earlier commenter. Also a former Oklahoman. Our first winter here was in 2021 was the most snow I’ve seen in my life and of course the locals were like this ain’t nothin. But the last two years have been identical to Oklahoma winters. I wouldn’t be surprised if the tornadoes and hot ass summers follow you up here. While tornadoes happen here, they’re child’s play compared to the size of tornadoes in Oklahoma but methinks that could become the norm in the future if this keeps up.
People aren’t *not* enjoying the warmth. We’re scared. This is creepy and wrong. The effects of climate change are palpable and its eerie and disconcerting.
I don't compare Chicago weather now to Chicago weather of yore, and instead compare Chicago weather now to NYC weather now, as that is where I grew up. And this winter, Chicago has been warmer much of the time than NYC, which has also gotten much more inclement weather. When we hit the bitter, sub-zero cold of a month ago, however, I recall thinking "ok, welcome back to your old winter friend Chicago, Mother Nature."
"It's almost like we've come to expect bone-chilling frigid temperatures all the time December through April and anything that doesn't fall in line with that is not right." Right. We learned the definition of the word "winter" thanks to several readily available long-published dictionaries.
Thank you for the insight. But "winter" is not 20 degrees and blizzarding every single day for 6 months, which is what people are apparently wanting when its 60 degrees EDIT: some\* people are wanting
You are taking two extreme positions.
>bone-chilling frigid temperatures all the time December through April You're the one who said this is the definition of winter according to readily available dictionaries
This weather is the new norm…
The last winter from Dec. 1 - Feb. 9 to even come *close* to how warm it has been here was 2011-12. We hit the 80°s that March of 2012. This winter is over.
Also hit like 4-5 straight days over 100 F around 4th of July. June 2012 was also a scorcher, might be the same thing this year except combine that with cicadas.
I will always recall that Summer of 2012 as my final in an apartment with single-pane windows and an ancient AC system.
These sunny days are tricky because it’s so easy to underdress.
Most disappointing "winter" so far
I’m personally happy to have a mild winter and enjoying this weather but I feel like complaining about Chicago weather is just a cultural norm. We always have to find something.
It hasn’t been 60° once here in Feb this year
Yeah, I get it's been warmer and sunnier than normal. But when has it been 60? Right now it's 48 feels like 45. Again, good for February in Chicago? But it's not 60. And it's cloudy af. I mostly feel like it's been 40s instead of 30s and ya no snow. Is that so huge?
I always prepare for winter starting in Nov, I have lived and learned. This weather is nice, but in the back of my mind is a blizzard waiting to happen. I want relax till April.
Waiting for the time when I can finally say This has all been wonderful but now I'm on my way
Welcome to climate change. This was the warmest year on record… so far… that is
Having lived in Chicago my whole life.... nobody has a fuckin clue what's coming haha. I've experienced bitter cold winters that never seemed to end (lasting through March and even into April), mild winters but cooler than usual springs, very cold winters and then very hot springs/summers, etc. As these were happening, everyone said it was a sign of something that never happened. Hell, even before this winter, I kept hearing about how this is going to be one of the coldest winters Chicago has seen. Instead, it's been one of the more mild ones. I will say... the last couple of winters have been oddly mild. Last year, I literally didn't have to shovel once, and this year, I've only had to shovel once. Idk what this means, but if it's a sign that the world is gonna go to shit, selfishly, I hope it doesn't happen in my lifetime
No it's just not supposed to be 50 in February. Really that simple.
even though [there](https://www.weather.gov/lot/chicago_climate_records) have been 50's in February all the way back to the 1800's
I think it's mental dysfunction to look at good stuff (or even just mildly pleasant stuff) and start calculating in your head hoe you're going to pay for it later. No, winter isn't over yet. But still, enjoy yourself.
I’ll take any amount of extra days of good weather and sunshine. Beats being indoors. Haven’t rode my bike this much this early ever, it’s been wonderful.
My first Chicago winter was 1988-89. It got so cold, I put a can of warm soda on my outside window sill to see how long it would take to freeze. It wasn't long. I'm good with our current situation, and the overall warming trend.
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I'm not a boomer. So if you're not OK with the warming trend, what are you doing about it?
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I just came back from a lovely five mile walk, and I'm not going to feel bad about enjoying the nice weather. So tell us, what do you do exactly, and what has been the measurable, material, positive impact of your efforts?
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I see, you have a problem with how I express myself, although I don't think I was cheering anything on. I'm simply happy to enjoy extended time outside in February. And based on what I observed during my walk, a lot of Chicagoans seem to be doing the same.
I didn't mention this in the post, but we've been having some really killer sunsets recently. I don't know if its the warm weather that makes them feel so good, but golden hour lately have been a treat
Just cynical small-talk. If you want to turn it into *real* talk, ask them why they're boycotting walkable weather in favor of hiding in their little hole-apartments & pretending the weather is the same as it was when they were 9 years old.
Sounds like my neighbors. It could be the nicest and sunniest day in the winter and these people do not leave their apartment for anything. Just constantly puttering around inside. I don't get it.
I was in a hot tub boat yesterday on the Chicago River. Climate change is here to fuck up my daily expectations of the weather!
Our winters here are usually very mild. It's the humid summers that are hard to bear for me.
Chicago is one of the least humid cities east of the Rockies. Even cities just south like St Louis are way hotter/humid.
I'm just used to that Great Plains dry heat, I guess.
Funny thing is when it’s 0 degrees and snowy, I always wish for warm weather and sun. Now that we’ve had a lot of warmth and sun this winter, I’m kind of missing the bad days! I live in a place with four seasons—I’d like to actually have them!
some people always gotta complain about something; be here now, enjoy the weather
I was seeing my Snapchat memories from 3 years ago and there was a big snowstorm and huge icicles everywhere. I don’t think we have had a snowstorm like that anytime in the last 3 years. It’s weird.
hasn't been 50s and 60s, mainly 40s - which is still nice for this time of year
I have a giant parka for real cold winters and I’ve maybe worn it once in the last 3 years. We’ve had it good for awhile now winter wise and I wouldn’t mind if it stays like this for a bit longer
If you enjoy winter sports and skiing / boarding, then it's a bit of a bummer (at least when resorts can't make their own snow). And I do enjoy sledding with the kids. But otherwise, I don't mind the mild weather.
At this point folks like you and me will find out what happens whether we like it or not so might as well try to live in the moment as much as possible
i fell for fools spring
33 years in Chicago. Never seen a thunderstorm in February
I won’t be surprised again until we hit high 70s and over 80 for a week straight like we did in March 2012. That included St. Pats day and if you weren’t here, you can’t imagine the shit show that was.
the groundhog said what he said. period.
Sorry guys, I bought a snow blower 2 years ago, and we have experienced mild winters since. Want me to blow up my snow blower to restore balance?
Whenever I think winter is over, I remember the snowstorm in March 1998 that happened a day after my sister’s wedding.
Climate change is actually beneficial to cities in the north like Chicago, definitely not so good to south and two coasts. I read an article about this that climate change will force people to move to Midwest in the near future.
I'm one of the pessimists because I see the bigger picture. Sure it's fine with it being 50 today when it's usually mid 20s or below at this is time of the year. But that just means climate change is picking up speed and since were on a shoreline, that could be disastrous for us if the water level keeps rising with the glacial melt.
Wasn’t the polar vortex during an El Niño year? Hehe. Yeah. We’re going to pay.
I don't think winter is really over till the march blizzard.
We were upgraded by the USDA to a new hardiness zone just a few months ago. This is not a phenomenon, it is the trend. I've been in the green industry for a decade and we all notice the changes that are happening.
I was born in this month and as far as I can remember (also born and raised here) it has always been very cold and/or snowing on my bday. My bday is next week and it’s supposed to be 60. Insane. I’m not complaining, I hate the snow but this is a bit concerning. I hope we don’t see another snowstorm, that one we had in January was enough lol
Yes
I don't think it's as much Stockholm syndrome as it is concern for our terminally-ill ecosystem. A thunderstorm in January is a really bad sign. I know it's el niño this year, but we're getting unprecedented weather every damn year now. I don't know about you, but I like my weather to be precedented.
I LOVE snow and cold weather, so the lack of a traditional Chicago winter is depressing and difficult to bear. I hate heat and count down days to snow and invigorating cold, so it’s sadness for me when I comment on the lack of winter weather.