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New Hampshire’s been getting noticeably warmer. Since 1901, the state’s average temperature has climbed about 3 degrees, with the biggest jumps happening in the fall and winter, especially at night, according to a 2021 New Hampshire climate assessment from the University of New Hampshire.
It’s also gotten wetter. Annual precipitation is up about 12% over the past 120 years. Snow is changing too. Snow depth and density have fallen sharply, with central New Hampshire seeing a 59–91% drop since 1971. And spring thaw on lakes is happening earlier than it used to.
We recently asked readers to share how climate change is impacting their lives. Here’s a look at some top responses:
🗨️ “It’s called summer, it gets hot. Some summers are hotter than others. As for smoke? It’s called fires. They happen. Some fires are bigger than others. Climate change? That’s what the climate does. Hot, cold, rainy, snowy. Sometimes there’s more of one than the others. Sometimes there’s not.” — Paula Pellino on Facebook
🗨️ “Lots of mold. The ocean is warm enough to really swim in. No more snow storms. Lots of ice storms. Forest fires. New invasive species. Crazy amounts of ticks and mosquitoes. So many mice and other rodents. More animals getting hit by cars as they try to find new territories. Lowest water levels for the last couple years that I’ve ever seen.” — @kseniyakenkina on Instagram
🗨️ “Cross country ski season isn’t what it used to be. A lot more thaw freeze cycle making the snow icy and no fun. Or just, not enough snow.” — @erinhikerrrr on Instagram
🗨️ “It’s called summer and they were hotter when I was a kid.” — Michael Leary on Facebook
🗨️ “Cannot go out in the summer. 90-plus degrees most of the summer! And politics thinking there is no climate change! our air is polluted, our lake, rives and beaches have e-coli or some other bacteria. Nothing being done about it.” — Sheila Smith Asselin on Facebook
🗨️ “Our summers are so much hotter and longer. And the forest fire smoke wasn’t an issue at all when I was a kid, and now it’s a big hazard here.” —@mariakulianin on Instagram
🗨️ “We have such a beautiful state but the explosion of ticks removes enjoying it.” — @wish2wander on Instagram
🗨️ “Winters are much more mild with less snow.” — @monkey_chipss on Instagram
