Climate change in Utah

Last updated November 27, 2024

Climate change in Utah encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Utah.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that "Utah's climate is changing. The state has warmed about two degrees (F) in the last century. Throughout the western United States, heat waves are becoming more common, and snow is melting earlier in spring. In the coming decades, the changing climate is likely to decrease the flow of water in Utah's rivers, increase the frequency and intensity of wildfires, and decrease the productivity of ranches and farms".^[1] Another analysis found that Utah's temperature increase from 1970 to 2019 was the fifth highest in the nation, leading to an increasing intensity of wildfires.^[2] A changing climate was also reported as leading to increased flooding in Utah during winter months, followed by hot and dry summers, a cycle potentially harmful for agriculture.^[3]

Snowpack

"As the climate warms, less precipitation falls as snow, and more snow melts during the winter. That decreases snowpack—the amount of snow that accumulates over the winter. Since the 1950s, the snowpack has been decreasing in Utah, as well as Wyoming and Colorado, which contribute snowmelt to the Green and Colorado rivers".^[1]

"Diminishing snowpack can shorten the season for skiing and other forms of winter tourism and recreation. The tree line may shift, as subalpine fir and other high-altitude trees become able to grow at higher elevations. A higher tree line would decrease the extent of alpine tundra ecosystems, which could threaten some species".^[1]

Water availability

"The changing climate is likely to increase the need for water but reduce the supply. Rising temperatures increase the rate at which water evaporates (or transpires) into the air from soils, plants, and surface waters. Soils are likely to be drier in most of the state, so irrigated farmland would need more water. But less water is likely to be available, because precipitation is unlikely to increase as much as evaporation".^[1]

"The decline in snowpack could further limit the supply of water for some purposes. Mountain snowpacks are natural reservoirs. They collect the snow that falls during winter and release water when the snow melts during spring and summer. Over the past 50 years, snowpack has been melting earlier in the year. Dams capture most meltwater and retain it for use later in the year. But upstream of these reservoirs, less water is available during droughts for ecosystems, fish, water-based recreation, and landowners who draw water directly from a flowing river".^[1]

Agriculture

"Increasing droughts and higher temperatures are likely to interfere with Utah's farms and cattle ranches. Hot temperatures threaten cows' health and cause them to eat less, grow more slowly, and produce less milk. Fire may also impair livestock operations. Reduced water availability would create challenges for ranches and irrigated farms, which account for 80 percent of the water used in the state".^[1]

Wildfires and changing landscapes

"Higher temperatures and drought are likely to increase the severity, frequency, and extent of wildfires, which could harm property, livelihoods, and human health. The Milford Flat Fire in 2007 was the largest wildfire ever recorded in Utah. Wildfire smoke can reduce air quality and increase medical visits for chest pains, respiratory problems, and heart problems".^[1]

"The combination of more fires and drier conditions may expand deserts and otherwise change parts of Utah’s landscape. Many plants and animals living in arid lands are already near the limits of what they can tolerate. Higher temperatures and a drier climate would generally extend the Great Basin desert to higher elevations and expand its geographic range. In some cases, native vegetation may persist and delay or prevent expansion of the desert. In other cases, fires or livestock grazing may accelerate the conversion of grassland to desert in response to the changing climate. For similar reasons, some forests may change to desert or grassland".^[1]

Pests

"Warmer and drier conditions make forests more susceptible to pests. Drought reduces the ability of trees to mount a defense against attacks from pests such as bark beetles, which infested 50,000 acres of Utah's forests in 2012. Temperature controls the life cycle and winter mortality rates of many pests. With higher winter temperatures, some pests can persist year-round, and new pests and diseases may become established".^[1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain pine beetle</span> Species of beetle

The mountain pine beetle is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America from Mexico to central British Columbia. It has a hard black exoskeleton, and measures approximately 5 millimetres, about the size of a grain of rice.

In hydrology, snowmelt is surface runoff produced from melting snow. It can also be used to describe the period or season during which such runoff is produced. Water produced by snowmelt is an important part of the annual water cycle in many parts of the world, in some cases contributing high fractions of the annual runoff in a watershed. Predicting snowmelt runoff from a drainage basin may be a part of designing water control projects. Rapid snowmelt can cause flooding. If the snowmelt is then frozen, very dangerous conditions and accidents can occur, introducing the need for salt to melt the ice.

The subnivean climate is the environment between fallen snow and terrain. This is the environment of many hibernal animals, as it provides insulation and protection from predators. The subnivean climate is formed by three different types of snow metamorphosis: destructive metamorphosis, which begins when snow falls; constructive metamorphosis, the movement of water vapor to the surface of the snowpack; and melt metamorphosis, the melting/sublimation of snow to water vapor and its refreezing in the snowpack. These three types of metamorphosis transform individual snowflakes into ice crystals and create spaces under the snow where small animals can move.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in Washington</span> Climate change in the US state of Washington

Climate change in the US state of Washington is a subject of study and projection today. The major impacts of climate change in Washington State include increase in carbon dioxide levels, increase in temperatures, earlier annual snow melt, sea level rise, and others.

Climate change in California has resulted in higher than average temperatures, leading to increased occurrences of droughts and wildfires. Over the next few decades in California, climate change is likely to further reduce water availability, increase wildfire risk, decrease agricultural productivity, and threaten coastal ecosystems. The state will also be impacted economically due to the rising cost of providing water to its residents along with revenue and job loss in the agricultural sector. Economic impacts also include inflation from rising insurance premiums, energy costs and food prices. California has taken a number of steps to mitigate impacts of climate change in the state.

On a per-person basis, Wyoming emits more carbon dioxide than any other state or any other country: 276,000 pounds (125,000 kg) of it per capita a year, because of burning coal, which provides nearly all of the state's electrical power.

Like other parts of the world, climate in Idaho has changed dramatically over the geologic history of the Earth. Paleo-climatic records give some indication of these changes. The longest instrumented records of climate in Idaho extend back to the late 1800s. Concern over human induced climate change through the emission of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and methane from agriculture and industry, are driving research efforts across the state at university, state, and federals levels to understand what the implications of climate change could be in Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in Nevada</span> Climate change in the US state of Nevada

Climate change in Nevada has been measured over the last century, with the average temperature in Elko, Nevada increasing by 0.6 °F (0.33 °C), and precipitation increasing by up to 20% in many parts of the state. These past trends may or may not continue into the future.

Prolonged, large-area droughts are among Canada's costliest natural disasters having major impacts on a wide range of sectors including agriculture, forestry, industry, municipalities, recreation, human health, society and ecosystems. They frequently stress water availability by depleting soil moisture, reducing stream flows, lowering lake and reservoir levels, and diminishing groundwater supplies. This ultimately affects several economic activities including for example, decreased agricultural production, less hydro-electric power generation, and increased freshwater transportation costs. Droughts also create major environmental hazards such as reduced water quality, wetland loss, soil erosion and degradation, and ecological habitat destruction.

Climate change in Arizona encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Arizona.

Climate change in Colorado encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Climate change in Kansas encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Kansas.

Climate change in Nebraska encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Nebraska.

Climate change in New Hampshire encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of New Hampshire.

Climate change in New Mexico encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Climate change in Oklahoma encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.

Climate change in Oregon encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Oregon.

Climate change in the United States Virgin Islands encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. territory of the United States Virgin Islands. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has noted a variety of expected consequences of this phenomenon.

Climate change in South Dakota encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of South Dakota.

The southwestern North American megadrought is an ongoing megadrought in the southwestern region of North America that began in 2000. At least 24 years in length, the drought is the driest multi-decade period the region has seen since at least 800 CE. The megadrought has prompted the declaration of a water shortage at Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. Climate change models project drier conditions in the region through the end of the 21st century, though climate change mitigation may avoid the most extreme impacts.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "What Climate Change Means for Utah" (PDF). United States Environmental Protection Agency. August 2016.
↑ Neumann, Erik (April 17, 2019). "Climate Analysis Finds Utah Temperatures Rose Fifth Fastest In The Country Since 1970". KUER-FM.
↑ St. Clair, Cindy; Poulson, Sterling; Knowles, Hannah (January 12, 2018). "Utah's climate is changing, how will it affect the state?". KUTV.

v t e Climate change in the United States
States	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Federal district	Washington, D.C.
Territories	American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands