The new climate normals for the United States, compiled by the National Climatic Data Center and reset every decade, have moved up the average temperatures 0.5o F (approx. 0.3o C). This reflects the ongoing effect of climate change on the United States, and has practical implications for gardeners, and the like. Some plants can survive better now than when the country had cooler nights. Some pests flourish in the warmth. Cold-loving trees are beginning to sicken in their southern-most ranges. As the climate normalizes at new levels, it will require preparation and adaptation.
In fact, climate change has made our coming era the Era of Adaption, an era already heralded in the USA by shifting temperatures and reacting ecosystems.
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