News

Dry summers more common now

Wisconsin’s state climatologist says climate change is not new, with measurable differences every year.

Steve Vavrus tells Brownfield the state has been a little warmer and wetter almost every year since recordkeeping began in the 1890s. “In every season in every county, we’re seeing Wisconsin having a warming trend, but it’s especially true in winter. Winter is the season that has warmed the most. Summer is the season that has warmed the least.”

Vavrus says the latest climate models are pointing to dryer summers. “But at the same time, wetter winters, wetter springs, and probably wetter falls, too, so overall yearly average is probably wetter but that drying in the summer is important not only for agriculture but it’s our wettest season in general.”

Vavrus says the growing season is getting slightly longer as the years go by. “The biggest change is in the fall, so later first freeze in the fall has changed more than the latest spring freeze in late winter-early spring.”

Vavrus says the longer, warmer growing season has some tradeoffs.  He says it opens the door for additional pest pressure, but says down the road, it could also allow for some double-cropping.

Audio: State Climatologist Steve Vavrus explains what has been changing about Wisconsin’s weather and the WISCONET weather monitoring system with Brownfield’s Larry Lee at the Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference