The Deteriorating Wisconsin Weather: A Summer Too Hot!

     

    Living in Madison, WI for most of the year and Kohler, WI for the lesser part of the year, I have noticed unusual changes in weather patterns in both spots since I moved there. Throughout the years there have been alterations in what is considered normal weather. Lake Michigan and Lake Mendota are continuing to warm each year during the winter. Lake Mendota as a result is covered by ice less and less time each year. Lake Michigan and Lake Mendota both have oxygen concentration levels varying from what they are used to due to global warming which impacts plant and animal life underwater. Moreover, Lake Michigan has seen wild swings in what is considered to be high and low water levels due to the precipitation variation between dry and wet spells. Lake Michigan is a huge factor in creating cooler summers and warmer winters, but the increase in temperature of the lake year-round is causing more and more problems and changes to what the state of Wisconsin is used to for the temperatures during its seasons throughout the year.

    I think people around me are noticing them too as we constantly acknowledge the impacts climate change has on the environment and the weather we were accustomed to beforehand. The casual question of “so what do you think of the weather today?” has taken on a whole new meaning due to climate change. Even in this question to make small talk, people know the extreme weather conditions and the changes in the Wisconsin weather. It is interesting to write this blog post today as Madison, WI is under a heat advisory. The radio this morning claimed that this was a record high for this time of year in Madison. Important to note is also the extreme lack of snow that the state has seen recently as during the winter it was common to have mounds of snow and blizzards frequently. Now, I have conversations with people about how it rains during the winter and how I rarely have to shovel due to global warming and its impacts on the weather. However, the rain has longer dry spells between impacting agriculture, livestock, and soil around the state. This can be seen in stores produce and local farmers' markets in my opinion as well. 

    My personal story on how climate change is impacting me is that warmer temperatures are a migraine trigger for me. The heat causes me heat exhaustion and dehydration if I do not stay up to drinking water at high levels throughout the day. With climate change creating warmer temperatures and hotter summers, I have seen an increase in the number of migraines I get during the summer months. I think that climate change does affect each and every one of us in small ways and big ways, but this is a personal experience of how climate change impacts my health. It is important to know that climate change is impacting the health of thousands the negative, unfortunately. 

    I think the most important concept I will take away from this course is to look at the environment and the way I use it in a different way. My perspective has really changed throughout the duration of this class on the resources I use and how my actions have large effects on the environment.  Whether it be the accidental bandaid that falls off in the lake, the farming my close friends do impacts runoff, or living in a community that supports tourism above all else, my actions impact all living things around me. The watershed I have in my hometown, the farms, the shorelines, and much more are so incredibly important I now realize to a new degree. I think I enjoyed learning about water resources and management the best coming from a village that is right on the shores of Lake Michigan and how that is such a critical water source to the world. Learning about how tourism impacts the lake negatively through its shoreline destruction hit very close to home, literally and metaphorically, with the construction of new golf courses. This class overall was extremely applicable to my life in ways I did not think it would be and changed my view of the environment for the better and in a more conscientious way for the future.

Sources:

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/climatechange/impacts

https://wicci.wisc.edu/wisconsin-climate-trends-and-projections/

https://www.wpr.org/global-warming-happening-more-rapidly-wisconsin-already-feeling-it#:~:text=Wisconsin%20is%20already%20warmer%20and,has%20increased%20about%2015%20percent.

Image Sources:

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fforestadaptation.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2020-03%2FtravelWI.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fforestadaptation.org%2Flearn%2Fapplying-climate-change-filter-lake-michigan-coastal-resiliency-project&tbnid=NpD-uzQh9AgJAM&vet=12ahUKEwjlx4ah5LL4AhUOZ80KHT5QDCQQMygLegUIARDUAQ..i&docid=uwa9CHjnFxdo_M&w=5184&h=2592&itg=1&q=wisconsin%20lake%20michigan%20climate%20change&ved=2ahUKEwjlx4ah5LL4AhUOZ80KHT5QDCQQMygLegUIARDUAQ

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2FTWCNews%2FMAY%2520RAINFALL%2520BLOG%2520MAIN%2520PIC&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fspectrumnews1.com%2Fwi%2Fmilwaukee%2Fwisconsin-weather-blog%2F2020%2F05%2F28%2Fwisconsin-weather-blog-may-rainfall&tbnid=I-8v5cI8hx9IKM&vet=12ahUKEwiu9_mw5LL4AhVzCJ0JHTboCS0QMygEegUIARC2AQ..i&docid=m89NOobMTHAdSM&w=1280&h=720&q=wisconsin%20%20rain&ved=2ahUKEwiu9_mw5LL4AhVzCJ0JHTboCS0QMygEegUIARC2AQ

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.self.com%2Fphotos%2F6080a24accaa575c60969936%2F4%3A3%2Fw_2560%252Cc_limit%2Fearth_sustainability.jpeg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.self.com%2Fstory%2Fclimate-crisis-ed-letter&tbnid=rGdcb3TKt4IyQM&vet=12ahUKEwiQjs7J5LL4AhUaAp0JHf8nABcQMygIegUIARDKAQ..i&docid=h_-wfnxjEMtaKM&w=1378&h=1033&q=we%20can%20change%20climate&ved=2ahUKEwiQjs7J5LL4AhUaAp0JHf8nABcQMygIegUIARDKAQ