Spring 2012 Was The Earliest On RecordRemember the 80-degree days and early daffodils last March? It wasn't just an early spring. For much of the U.S. it was the earliest spring since 1900 when systematic weather records became available for the entire U.S. according to a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey.The central and eastern U.S. saw spring come 20 to 30 days early the study says although the effect wasn't uniform across the country: The northwest and southern parts of Florida had unusually late springs in 2012.It's very difficult to attribute any one weather event to global warming but climate change may bring early springs more often in the future survey scientists wrote in their study. While seeing the sun sooner in the year was fun the early spring of 2012 had some ill effects. The New York Times reported insects appearing early and increased pollen allergies in some states. The state of Michigan sustained $500 million in fruit crop damage after an April frost destroyed the early flowerings of trees according to the U.S. Geological Survey.How exactly did survey scientists calculate the arrival of spring? They used measures from phenology the science of when annual stuff happens in living things. (Not to be confused with phrenology.) Flowers blooming birds migrating and deciduous trees re-leafing are all examples of phenology measures. U.S. scientists began making such observations on a larger scale in the 1950s while hobbyists had kept flower diaries for decades before that. Now the USA National Phenology Network which includes a website where non-scientists are able to submit their observations helps scientists keep track of the signs of spring.Because unusual seasons are so disruptive to agriculture scientists want to develop ways of predicting when an early spring will occur. That may be possible by correlating historical phenology records with atmospheric phenomena such as the movement of pressure systems survey scientists wrote in their paper. They published their work May 14 in the journal Eos. It gets cold all of a sudden and we call it a cold snap. It gets warm all of a sudden and we call it spring?I have observed many more birds this year. The early spring meant fewer birds went hungry. My backyard sounds like a jungle.  We also had lots of weeds this year and last.  So the question is was the early spring a problem for nature or for people? When you look at the case with Michigan the problem wasn't that it got warm earlier it is that it didn't STAY warm.  Clearly global warming would fix that... right?Phenology the science of when annual stuff happens in living things. (Not to be confused with phrenology a pseudoscience focused on measurements of the human skull) Though both sound equally dubious.@ppardee
An earlier spring can be a significant problem for both humans and nature. Many complimentary relationships in ecology have different cues to start. So an earlier blooming season for plants may not necessarily mean an earlier end to hibernation to pollinators. That in turn would affect the reproductive success of those plants.Spring just started a couple weeks ago her in Florida. We were looking around wondering when winter was supposed to be over.Of course by spring I mean summer. Spring and fall are kind of illusive seasons here...@tertertert Wow... a non-abusive informative response from a PopSci reader?? Unexpected but appreciated. Thanks!@Raynre I feel your pain. In Phoenix our spring lasted from 8am to 10:30 pm on March 13th. Now the sound of birds has been replaced by a constant sizzling and the smell of scorched feathers.... But it's a dry roast.@ppardee
I'm sorry to have strayed from your expectations.
Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
Is that better?@Raynre
You're welcome to some of our spring here on the Canadian prairies. In the last 72h we've had on the order of 10cm of rain. While I enjoy spring rains we need to get our crops in the ground!spring was sure as hell late in WI and MN; it effin' snowed on my birthday May 13