"In New York City, we are seeing unusually cold weather and snow in the busy month of January. Instead of a joyous month of fresh beginnings, New Yorkers are seeing subway delays, icy sidewalks, and remote learning (or, for me, midterms are being pushed back a day). What might seem like something new from prior years of warm winters and no snow is, as counterintuitive as it may seem, just a symptom of the climate change that has been happening for decades."
"Snowstorms are no longer just weather, but have become "proof" of climate change being a hoax. Even though 2025 was one of the top three warmest years on record per the World Meteorological Organization, climate deniers turn a blind eye to overall trends in climate and fixate instead on occasional events as if a day's weather were the same as the climate, formally defined by 30 years of weather data."
"Its southward dip led to previously isolated polar air moving south, lowering temperatures in places like New York City. Cold air isn't enough to create a big snowstorm, and moisture is the final ingredient. The Gulf of Mexico's unusually warm surface temperatures fed moisture to storms in the northeast. The warmer ocean leads to more evaporation, and the warmer temperature helps the air hold more moisture, allowing for more intense snow."
New York City experienced unusually cold weather and heavy snow in January, causing subway delays, icy sidewalks, and school disruptions. Occasional cold snaps are being misconstrued on social media as proof that global warming is false, despite 2025 ranking among the warmest years on record. Climate reflects 30-year trends, not single days. Jet stream shifts allowed polar air to move south and lower temperatures, while unusually warm Gulf of Mexico surface temperatures increased evaporation and atmospheric moisture. The combination of cold air and added moisture produced more intense snow, making extreme cold and snowstorms an indicator of ongoing climate change.
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