50 degrees in Detroit. On Jan. 7......

[marmar]

And the lowest forecast high over the next 5 days is 39.......

Good news that's really not good news, I suppose. I worry about the lake levels if this continues.

[Bjorn Against]

1. Minnesota has had a really warm winter as well

Here in the Twin Cities we have been in the mid forties this past week which is nearly unheard of for January, and Southwestern Minnesota reached into the sixties on Thursday which has never happened before in January. It may feel nice, but I too am worried about global warming.

[RevStPatrick]

2. We're gonna get up to 60 today here in New York.

I like global warming!!!

Except of course, that's it's going to destroy the planet as we know it.

[DeathToTheOil]

3. Just Remember: THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GLOBAL WARMING!

[Joe the Revelator]

8. It doesn't, it has to do with La Nina....the same way that last years extra snowy winter...

Did not disprove global warming.

Weather does not equal climate.

[Bjorn Against]

19. It very likely does have something to do with climate change

You are right that weather is not the same as climate, but large shifts in weather patterns could indicate a change in climate. Those of us who live in Minnesota have seen big changes in our climate over the past fifteen years or so, nearly every Minnesota adult who has lived in this state for their whole life will tell you that our winters were much more harsh when we were children than they are now.

[PCIntern]

4. Balmy spring day here in Philly....

Yeah, I remember a lot of early January days like this in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's...of ocurse...

WE USED TO HAVE SERIAL SNOW AND ICE STORMS THIS TIME OF YEAR AND FRIGID COLD!!!!!

[Romulox]

5. Fucking glorious day in metro Detroit. I dunno if it's "natural" or not. But still very nice. nt

[Howler]

6. Pretty warm here in Dayton Ohio Too. ;(

Been so for the last couple of days. Even sat out on the porch yesterday afternoon.

[FarLeftFist]

7. 60 here in NY.

[quinnox]

9. Detroit huh

ugh

[Arctic Dave]

10. -20 and blowing snow in Prudhoe Bay.

Warm for January.

[neverforget]

11. Cold but dry here in Portland, Oregon

[MadHound]

12. This is going to dramatically effect our food supply and prices

Here in the Midwest, farmers are worried about the winter wheat crop. It has already sprouted, and is growing rapidly. If the wheat reaches four inches, and then a freeze hits, the crop loss will be massive.

Orchardists, myself included, are keeping a close eye on the temperature. Certain fruit trees, including apples and pears, require between two and four hundred hours of below freezing temperatures in order to properly bloom and fruit. Without such cold, there will be little to no fruit. Right now, we're running at about a quarter to half of the required number of hours.

Not to mention that a lack of snow means a lack of nitrogen returning to the soil, when means less fertile soil. Furthermore, a lack of snow means that the deep soil layers are not getting the necessary moisture to sustain growth next season. Here in Missouri, we've suffered from a severe drought over the summer and fall. While we've had some moisture, starting in September, our deep soil layers need at least thirteen more inches of moisture in order to have a normal growing season this year.

This lack of cold, snowy weather, while pleasant for us in the short term, could very well spell long term problems.

[customerserviceguy]

20. I know the maple syrup folks are worried

Their trees need a good blanket of snow on the ground to produce a decent sap run as temperatures warm.

[Denninmi]

13. Well, all of the rain we've had will keep the lakes up for a while.

Not only is it freakishly warm, 2011 was the wettest year on record in Detroit, breaking the previous record set in 1880.

I wonder if we will flip flop, and have a very dry year in 2012.

Time to set up the drip irrigation on the garden for next year.

[marmar]

14. But the rain is not nearly as important as the snowpack when it comes to the lakes.

nt

[underpants]

15. 68 in Richmond VA

I am in shorts!!!

[notadmblnd]

16. I'm in Waterford and so far today's high has been 41. I'ts still warm for Janurary

but I don't think we'll see 50 out here.

[marmar]

17. That big a difference 20-something miles away? Wild.

nt

[NBachers]

18. Detroit should be like nine degrees today

[boxman15]

21. I'm worried about the lake levels too (I live in Westland)

But just remember not to use one winter as proof/disproof of global warming. Those on both sides of the argument (aka people who live in reality and those who don't) like to use one abnormally warm or cold winter to support their arguments.

Climate and weather are not the same thing.

[Bjorn Against]

22. The problem is that it has been more than one winter

The past few years have been among the warmest on record, while there have been cold snaps the average surface temperature has been on the rise for some time now.