Around the world, the impacts of global warming are already being felt, as the Earth sees warmer than average temperatures. Last year was the warmest on record—and the first to see the average global temperature exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
As the warming trend continues, experts say the four seasons as we know them will change—and it stands to have drastic impacts on the environment. “The Earth’s system is a very precarious balance,” says Ben Kirtman, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Miami. “And so when the length of the seasons [starts changing], you can affect the Earth’s system in a way that is unanticipated.”
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How are the seasons being impacted by rising global temperatures?
As Earth continues to warm, summers will get longer. “The length of the summer is going to extend,” says Akintomide Akinsanola, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. “Looking at the end of the 21st Century, we are likely going to have about six months, half a year of summer.” This means that the spring and autumn seasons will grow shorter, says Kirtman. “The longer summers are going to be eating into the fall on the one end and the early onset of summer is going to be spring on the other end.”
The winter months will also shorten—and bring more rain or snow to much of the United States, says Kirtman. “You have the possibility of a slightly warmer atmosphere able to hold more water, which then can produce more snowstorms.”
What are some of the biggest impacts we will see?
Warmer temperatures are expected in all parts of the world. “Irrespective of your locality or your county, the extension of the summer length is going to affect everywhere,” says Akinsanola.
The impact will vary depending on where you are. A longer summer can increase wildfire risks in the West, while the Northeast and Midwest are expected to see an increase in winter precipitation, according to Akinsanola.
Changes to the seasons will also have big impacts on the environment—altering the growing seasons for plants and changing migration patterns for animals. “If you shorten the spring, you’re severely restricting the planting cycle,” says Kirtman.
How will people’s lives be affected?
Changes to the seasons will impact our lives, says Akinsanola. “This has implications for humanity.”
Increase in precipitation could leave areas with aging infrastructure at greater risk of flooding—especially in regions that were not built to withstand rain or snow.
And the agricultural industry will be forced to adapt to longer, warmer summers—and potentially less water. “If you extend the length of the summer, elevated temperature can also cause intensified droughts,” says Akinsanola. “This also has an impact on water resources, agricultural productivity and the overall economy.”
Climate change also exposes people to greater health risks. Factors like air pollution and extreme heat have been known to increase risks for respiratory and cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Low-income communities will bear the brunt of it. The climate crisis disproportionately impacts the lowest income countries, and within the U.S., low-income and communities of color face higher risks of illness and death from extreme heat, climate-drive floods and air pollution. “This risk is more high for regions that are already vulnerable,” says Akinsanola.