New York’s climate is changing – for the worse

Research by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and other sources have documented dramatic changes to the climate in New York state over the past several decades that will only get worse for future generations, without mitigation.

• The average annual temperature has risen 2.4 degrees since 1970

• Sea levels – from Long Island all the way up the Hudson River to the Troy dam, have risen more than one foot since 1900 and could rise another 6 feet by 2100 as warming only accelerates

• Annual precipitation has increased steadily since 1900, with more rain and snow in winter months – yet less in the summer. The trend has also led to more frequent storms and heavier downpours

• Spring is beginning a week earlier than just a few decades ago, with the first leaves coming out 8 days earlier than in 1950