Climate: Europe is experiencing fewer and fewer freezing days

Climate change is resulting in warmer winters, particularly in Europe, with many more days above 0°C, which can have consequences for tourism, agriculture or health, according to a Climate Central study. published Tuesday.

The American research institute estimates that more than a third (44) of the 123 countries and almost half (393) of the 901 cities analyzed lost at least a week’s worth of frost days each year due to of human-caused warming.

The analysis focuses on minimum temperatures between the months of December and February – which correspond to winter in the northern hemisphere – over the decade 2014-2023. It is based on observational data, which was compared to the simulation of a climate that would not have been warmed by the massive use of coal, oil and gas.

“Crucial” days

The study concludes that climate change has particularly increased the number of winter days with positive temperatures in Europe, the fastest-warming continent in the world. The countries most affected were Denmark and the Baltic countries.

“Snow, ice and cold weather, which were symbols of the winter season, are rapidly disappearing in many places, threatening ecosystems, economies and cultural traditions,” said Kristina Dahl, chief scientist. for Climate Central.

However, these freezing winter days are “crucial” for a range of sectors ranging from winter sports to the production of drinking water, dependent on the quantity of snow, she notes.

Agriculture affected

The authors also highlight the consequences on health: cold helps regulate populations of disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, while shorter winters encourage the dissemination of pollen – and therefore allergies.

Agriculture can also be affected by the phenomenon, particularly for the growth of certain fruits such as apples or peaches, which require prolonged cool periods, notes the study.

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