New Hampshire Experiencing a Return to Traditional Winters
After several years of unseasonably warm winters, New Hampshire is experiencing a return to more typical winter conditions, with consistent snowfall, frigid temperatures and widespread ice. The shift has been welcomed by residents and outdoor enthusiasts, offering a familiar landscape for winter activities.
“What we have is, you know, that’s what our winters are supposed to be like,” said Mary Stampone, New Hampshire’s state climatologist. While this winter is colder than normal, Stampone explained that “normal” is defined as a 30-year average, and that average has been changing. The 30-year window from 1990 to 2020 shows markedly different conditions than earlier periods in the 20th century.
Stampone noted the variability in winter weather since 1990. “If you remember back in 2015, we had so much snow, right? But in the past five years, we’ve had much less snow than even that warmer normal would suggest,” she said. “And this year happens to be one of those colder years that really is more representative of the type of winter weather we expect here in New England.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this winter has seen the coldest December and January since the same period in 2009, based on statewide average temperature rankings. Stampone added that this is one of the coldest, snowiest winters the state has experienced since 2018.
The return to colder temperatures has been a boon for winter recreation, supporting activities like ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, and pond hockey. The Lake Winnipesaukee Pond Hockey Classic earlier this month benefited from the conditions, and the World Championship Sled Dog Derby in the Lakes Region was able to proceed successfully after being canceled in the previous two years due to warm weather.
Despite the welcome change, Stampone emphasized that New Hampshire’s winters are still warming overall. “Our winters overall have warmed substantially, and we are seeing more pronounced warming during that cold season this winter season than we are in other seasons. So winters are warming faster than our summers are,” she said.
The current snowpack is significantly higher than in recent years, which will benefit the state’s water table, particularly as parts of New Hampshire experienced drought conditions last year, and drought continues across most of the state.
However, experts caution that the heavy snowpack combined with current soil moisture levels could lead to potential flooding in the spring, particularly if there is heavy, warm rain.
Looking Ahead
The National Weather Service is forecasting a potentially heavy band of snow for Wednesday evening, particularly in southern New Hampshire. Another round of snowfall is possible Friday and Saturday.
