Drop in overall number of freezing, low temperatures
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The weather in Austin this past week was, on the whole, quite cold.
Camp Mabry reported the following morning low temperatures:
- 28° – February 18
- 20° – February 19
- 18° – February 20
- 30° – February 21
- 30° – February 22
The five mornings of sub-freezing temperatures bring the number of freezing mornings to 15, with t10 of those happening in January. There were no low temperatures below 34° in December. The 15 freezing mornings is more than the average number of days the lows drop to 32° or below. That number is twelve.
But, this is an oddity based on data put together by KXAN’s partners at Climate Central.
The numbers indicate that January 2025 was Earth’s warmest January in recorded history, a further indication that the planet continues to warm. The research done by Climate Central shows that of 210 United States locations, 91%, including Austin, have seen a decrease in the yearly number of freezing nights going back to 1970.
The average drop is 15 fewer freezing nights. This drop is part of a larger trend of much warmer overnights in cooler regions of the country.
The climatologists by no means are suggesting that we’re losing those cold freezing mornings. It’s the frequency of the drop in the number of freezes.
An aside note: Climate Central reports that billion-dollar winter storms in 2024 carried a price tag of $3.6 billion in damages.
The Pacific Northwest was burdened by the first winter storm of 2024. From January 12th to 14th, freezing precipitation and high winds caused extensive damage to businesses, homes, vehicles, and other infrastructure. Price tag? $1.7 billion. The treacherous winter weather claimed 20 lives.
One five-day (January 14th to 18th) winter storm affected eight states, including Texas. While much of it was the bitter cold air, there were reports of freezing rain and sleet. Much of the damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles was the result of the freezing precipitation. Price tag? $1.9 billion. This outbreak of cold and freezing drizzle/freezing rain/sleet took the lives of 41 people. These numbers are from information put together by the National Centers of Environmental Information.
There are some benefits to this reduction in freezing days and nights. For starters, the number of health issues affecting the more vulnerable populations, including those experiencing homelessness, could go down. Home heating costs might also be lower which would, of course, reduce the economic burden heating and cooling costs place on many households.
And, as heating technologies change there could be a decrease in the amount of methane gas usage in homes in the winter.
With the positive here comes the negative, too. Climatologists also suggest that less snow would limit water supplies that rely on the snow melt, particularly those in farming and ranching, and other ecosystems.
Along that line, winter recreation could be adversely affected due to the reduction in snow and ice, affecting things like ice fishing. Less snow means a lesser number of days in the skiing and snowboarding seasons.
Worse than this is how the warmer weather brings an expansion in disease-carrying pests, most significantly mosquitoes. We’ve mentioned many times how the warmer winter brings about an early start to the spring allergy seasons.
The farmers who grow fruit crops that need the winter chill could also be impacted by this decrease in freezing temperatures. This includes apple, peach, and pear trees. The same holds true for nuts like almonds and pistachios.
The bottom line is the lower number of freezing days and nights will likely have both a positive and a negative impact on just about all of us.
Good news for those who don’t like the cold but bad news for those who do.
