Here & Now

Fast Facts: Milwaukee and Green Bay's Declining Winter Ice

Frederica Freyberg:

Also on the eastern side of the state, temperatures outside might be freezing but for two Wisconsin cities the average winter temperature has increased more than almost anywhere else in the United States. Nathan Denzin has more.

Nathan Denzin:

Milwaukee and Green Bay have seen average winter temperatures increase by 6.1 degrees and 5.7 degrees since 1970. That makes Milwaukee the second fastest warming city in the country and Green Bay the fifth. Part of the climbing temperature comes from Lake Michigan which has seen a decline in ice coverage over the last 50 years. However, Wisconsin’s coast isn’t the only area with quickly rising thermometers. The northwest part of the state has seen warmer winter days than southern Wisconsin, a trend expected to continue for decades. With rising temperatures come significant ecological concerns. Without an ice buffer on Lake Michigan, winter waves are more likely to crash into shorelines speeding up erosion and damaging infrastructure. Turning to the middle of the state, warmer weather will eventually mean less snow, which will harm wildlife like the snowshoe hare which relies on snow for camouflage. Without drastic change, experts say Wisconsin will warm by up to 8 degrees this century. For “Here & Now,” I’m Nathan Denzin.