If you have lived in Florida long, you know the weather can change drastically in a matter of minutes and vary within a matter of blocks. It could be a beautiful sunny day, then clouds spawn from nothing and a heavy downpour ruins your beach plans. Rain, humidity, and warmer temperatures are what we are accustomed to, especially down in South Florida. Each winter we expect a week or two of cold fronts, but things this year were a little strange. Looking at the weather forecast after the short yearly cold fronts passed, just to discover that more were lined up right behind them was something that nobody anticipated.?
People were struggling to adapt to the consistent cold fronts, but the hardest hit were the vegetable and fruit crops. Citruses, mangoes, and tomatoes are a small portion of the type of crops that took a hit with the prolonged winter South Florida received this past year. Some portable plants were able to be salvaged by relocating them to a temperature controlled area like a greenhouse, but the field crops were a different story. Many of those fields with cold-sensitive crops died off, causing millions of dollars in losses.?
Do these cold fronts mean that climate change isn’t an issue anymore? The fact of the matter is that climate change isn’t as simple as the black and white definition of global heating. It is, however, an explanation for the weather getting more unpredictable. Two of the largest known weather patterns are referred to as El Niño and La Niña which affect trade winds in the Pacific Ocean. Understanding them can be a beneficial way to gauge what kind of weather is going to affect certain geographical locations. El Niño generally impacts warmer winters in the northern U.S. and wetter winters in the Gulf Coast, while La Niña generally impacts colder winters in the northern U.S. and warmer and drier winters in the South. This year, La Niña was significantly weaker and less predictable than usual, which allowed other atmospheric patterns to play a larger role in shaping Florida’s weather. This year it happened to lead to more frequent cold fronts.?
The Ozone layer is a protective gas (O3) that shields the Earth from harmful UV rays that could negatively impact life on this planet. Ever since the industrial revolution where machines were used to increase work efficiency, an increase in gasses continue to be released into the environment. It is very common for the health of the Ozone layer to be lumped into climate change, but they are actually different environmental issues. Climate change is primarily caused by greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, while the ozone simply protects the planet from UV rays that in larger amounts could harm ecosystems. Although separate issues, it is equally as important and with continuous efforts by individual and industry, the ozone layer has been making a steady recovery and by the year 2066, it’s expected to be where it was pre-industrial revolution.?
What can civilians like you or I do to aid in this fight against climate change? Limiting waste as much as possible by reducing, reusing, and recycling is one of the biggest ways to limit environmental impact. Opting to carpool or walk instead of driving to minimize gasoline usage (Especially in this current economy) reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. Participating in local environmental opportunities such as trash cleanups and tree plantings is also a wonderful way to help! Although these few actions might seem small, millions of people taking part in those changes can lead to a more beautiful Earth for our future generations to inherit.?
Resources –>https://www.weather.gov/media/mfl/news/WinterSummary2026.pdf
Current State of the Ozone Layer | US EPA
