It’s not just you. Warmer temps mean nature gets thrown off in various ways.

Enjoy the heat wave this week?

Spring temperatures are increasing, yet another signal that Climate Change is here. Philly’s Spring temperatures increased 2.7 degrees over the past 30 years.

It’s not just the weather that is affected by these increased temperatures: Warmer seasons encroaching on winter have implications. Earlier Spring temperatures can lengthen the growing season, which means your allergies are worse: pollen allergy season starts earlier and last longer.

It also means more pests, especially ticks. They become active earlier in the year and spread to areas that were considered “too cold” before. The increasing prevalence of Lyme disease, which has doubled since 1991, is even considered an indicator of climate change by the EPA.

Warmer Temps = Less fruit

Another implication of earlier Spring temps? Fruit trees. Fruit trees, like apple, blueberry and peach, need a dormant period over the winter to produce the fruit the following Spring and Summer. For example, apple trees need 800 -1100 hours of “chilling” at 45 degrees F, so they can wake up from dormancy and bud after a certain amount of warming.

With shorter winters and earlier springs, there’s less yield, shifting favorable locations for the trees and an effect on economies.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher