Extreme Cold, Wind Chills at 101 Degrees Below Zero in New England Linked to Climate Change, Researchers Say

According to researchers, climate change may be to blame for the extreme cold that is predicted for New England, with wind chills as low as 101 below zero.

Even though January was unusually warm, this coming weekend could bring record-breaking cold to New England, with Mount Washington in New Hampshire experiencing a low of 101 below zero.

Weekend Forecast for New England

As low as 101 degrees Fahrenheit below zero with wind chill could be experienced on Mount Washington's summit this weekend, which has experienced some of New England's most extreme weather. With the wind chill, it might be as cold as 40 below zero in Concord, New Hampshire.

Francis Tarasiewicz, a Mount Washington Observatory weather observer and education specialist, explained that the extreme cold is the result of some genuinely Siberian Arctic air moving south. The observatory is located at the summit of the mountain.

Climate Change and Extreme Cold

According to Tarasiewicz, warm air has moved over the North Pole, making the jet stream less stable and causing it to sag south. It is still being investigated to see if the phenomenon is getting worse due to climate change.

Tarasiewicz also said that the forecasted summit temperatures will be so low that frostbite will develop within a minute or less. Despite the threat, there is a lot of excitement at the observatory.

Extreme cold weather links to climate change are currently the subject of active research. Some researchers have discovered that there might be a connection over the past ten years.

According to Stampone, it may seem counterintuitive, but as the Arctic warms, the jet stream becomes weaker and can sway. Additionally, when it wobbles, it develops these wave patterns and dips far south over the interiors of continental continents in the middle latitudes. The icy, bitter air is behind that.

According to Stampone, scientists are examining whether these outbreaks of cold air are becoming more frequent and whether global warming is to blame. But as of right now, there aren't enough historical records to allow researchers to draw any firm conclusions.

According to National Geographic, even though winters are getting shorter and global temperatures are rising, extreme weather events are predicted to get worse as a result of climate change.

Also Read: Blazing Fireball Streaks Across Siberian City, Fizzles Out in Small Explosion

Wind Chill Factor

The observatory set the current record in 1934, which is 47 degrees below zero (without wind chill). According to Tarasiewicz, the temperature outside is predicted to drop between 35 and 50 below zero on Friday night. According to the Mount Washington Observatory's most recent forecast, winds could gust as high as 105 miles per hour.

When he was out in those strong winds, according to Tarasiewicz, his ears would frequently pop from the rapid changes in air pressure.

As a result of climate change, this winter has been unusually warm, according to Mary Stampone, the state climatologist for New Hampshire. The average nighttime temperature in January was about 10 degrees higher than it usually is at this time of year. Since local observers there started keeping records in the 1950s, January in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has been the warmest on record, according to Stampone.

Stampone urged locals to take safety measures in the chilly weather, Boston Globe reports.