Climate change in New Hampshire

Throughout the northeastern United States, spring is arriving earlier and bringing more precipitation, heavy rainstorms are more frequent, and summers are hotter and drier.

Rising temperatures will melt snow earlier in spring and increase evaporation, and thereby dry the soil during summer and fall.

During the same period the city of Keene in southwest NH saw a decrease in snow fall of 58 cm, or just under two feet at 23 inches (1).

Between 1975 and 2000, many ski resorts in NH closed as smaller operators in lower elevations could not afford to invest in snow-making equipment.

The successful ones left behind other areas that could not keep up with the pace of investment" (1) The turn to creating artificial snow also makes skiing a more energy-intensive winter activity.

In addition, shorter, warmer winters also means ski resorts have a difficult time remaining open enough days to make a profit.

Temperatures have been rising by 3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1901 while the most significant heating has occurred in the last 50 years, specifically in fall and winter seasons.

[1] "Rising sea level erodes wetlands and beaches and increases damage from coastal storms.

Tidal wetlands are inherently vulnerable because of their low elevations, and shoreline development prevents them from migrating inland onto higher ground.

Storms can destroy coastal homes, wash out highways and rail lines, and damage essential communication, energy, and wastewater management infrastructure".

Rising temperatures allow deer populations to increase, reducing forest underbrush, which makes some animals more vulnerable to predators".

The loss of hemlock trees would remove the primary habitat for the blue-headed vireo and Blackburnian warbler.

[1]After passage of the US 2022 Inflation Reduction Act in July 2022, New Hampshire was to receive US $3 million to revise its climate change mitigation plan.