The data have been collected. This past year was the hottest year across the globe in human history. The United States is not immune to these warming trends, nor the dramatic weather events that rising sea levels and temperatures create: floods, droughts, hurricanes, heat waves, wildfires and even snow in places that have never received snow, like Southern states along the Gulf Coast.
The primary reason for this escalation in global warming is human activity, including increased mining and burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), which account for 75 percent of global greenhouse emissions. More greenhouse emissions are also released into the air by land clearing for industrial farming, particularly meat-farming, as well as commercial sprawl. As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This leads to global warming and climate change.
The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth.
In an effort to slow climate change by reducing greenhouse gases, the United Nations (UN) adopted the Paris Agreement in 2016: a legally binding international treaty on climate change that was signed by 196 nations. Its overarching goal was to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, because of the increased risks of unleashing more frequent and severe droughts, heat waves and rainfall as a result of a warming planet. On his first day of office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to remove the US from the climate pact — plus additional executive orders to allow for oil and gas drilling in areas that have been protected by all previous presidents.
Despite this past week of frigid temperatures, the overall warming trend has skyrocketed in the Hudson Valley. According to reports from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average temperature for 2024 in the region (based on the NOAA station in Poughkeepsie) was 53 degrees Fahrenheit. This tied for the third warmest year on record for the Hudson Valley and 2.5 degrees above the historical average.
According to the weather summary put together by the Daniel Smiley Research Center at the Mohonk Preserve, which has been collecting weather daily since 1986, November 2024 came in at 45.4 F, which was 4.9 degrees above the historical average of 40.5 F. The warmest November day recorded was 79 F on the sixth, and the coolest was 24 degrees on the 30th. December was a bit cooler, hitting an average of 28.9 F, just .3 degrees below the 127-year average of 29.2. The coldest December day came in at -1 F on the 22nd and the highest peaked at 56 F.
The graphs put together by the Smiley Research Center’s staff show warming trends that are accelerating at a faster rate. The average increase in temperatures for the month of December between 1896 and 2024 was 0.0412 degrees Fahrenheit. In the past 40 years, from 1984 to 2024, the temperature increased 0.1112 degrees per year, which was 2.7 times faster.
In terms of precipitation, NOAA recorded a total of 39.6 inches for 2024, which was 2.3 below average. A drought in the fall had residents under strict warnings not to use water unnecessarily; a burn ban was also in effect, as the dry weather and high winds led to several forest fires in the Catskill Mountains and elsewhere in the region.
Brett Rathbun, a meteorologist based in Albany for NOAA, said that overall, the “climate across the entire country has been extreme,” pointing to the forest fires in and around Los Angeles as well as “areas that have rarely if ever seen snow having several inches and blizzard warnings along the Gulf Coast.” Looking forward, Rathbun said that NOAA predicts that in the next three weeks our region will see both temperatures and precipitation above the normal average. Besides the Hudson Valley’s 2024 being tied for the third hottest year on record, we also experienced an extreme drought in the fall and a heat wave in June and July that brought the temperatures seven degrees above the historical average.
Thus far, we’ve had eleven inches of snow in December, slightly below normal, and January continues to unfold around us. The science is clear and has not wavered. Humans need to cut carbon emissions, plant more trees, use public transport and foot-powered transportation, move more, consume less, and pass legislation and enact public policy and funding to create healthier, sustainable communities. Helpful resources include the United Nations Act Now site and app at www.un.org/actnow, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) at https://climate.ny.gov, Hudson Valley Regional Climate Change Council at https://hudsonvalleyregionalcouncil.org/capi and Sustainable Hudson Valley planting pollinator gardens and Repair Cafés at www.sustainhv.org.
Every tree counts
One of the greatest ways to trap carbon emissions, provide shade and create habitats for wildlife is to plant trees. In an effort to encourage New York residents to do just that, the DEC has announced that its annual tree and shrub seedling sale is now open and will run through May 14. In an effort to plant upwards of 25 million trees by 2033, DEC has provided, through the Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery, low-cost, New York-grown tree and shrub species to encourage plantings that “help conserve New York’s natural resources and foster the next generation of forests,” said DEC interim commissioner Sean Mahar.
DEC’s tree nursery grows more than 50 conifer and hardwood species from local seed sources, creating seedlings that are well-suited to New York State’s climate. Seedlings are sold in bundles of 25 or more, and there are several mixed-species packets available for those looking for a variety. Seedlings are a minimum of five inches tall and are one to three years old, depending on the species. For more information including how to order, visit the Spring Seedling Sale webpage on DEC’s website.
To learn more, go to nysnursery@dec.ny.gov or the DEC’s website for more information on how to apply online. The trees sell out quickly, so residents are encouraged to order soon.
There is also a free school seedling program application that is open until March 28, whereby schools and youth education programs can request up to 25 free seedlings to plant with students. “The goal of the program is to help instill a sense of environmental stewardship among New York’s youth and set a foundation that will allow students to make informed decisions about the use of natural resources,” said Mahar.
All schools (public, private, nursery, elementary, secondary, vocational, college or university), homeschool groups and any youth education-based organization may apply, provided trees are planted in New York State. Individual homeschools must apply through a homeschool group, co-op or other association. Seedlings are two to three years old, approximately four to 12 inches tall and bare-root. There are four species available — jack pine, red oak, river birch or speckled alder — and each school or organization may only receive one group of seedlings per year.
Visit DEC’s website for more information and to apply online. For assistance or questions, contact the Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery at nysnursery@dec.ny.gov or call (518) 581-1439.
Join the family! 
