Growing Season Trends

Source: Climate Central

Warming driven by carbon pollution results in more freeze-free days each year and therefore longer annual growing seasons. According to the EPA, the growing season is now more than two weeks longer on average across the contiguous U.S. compared to the beginning of the 20th century.

Later fall freeze and longer growing seasons can impact fruit and nut crops - a nearly $27 billion industry in the U.S. A certain amount of sustained chilling (starting September 1) is key for high quality non-citrus fruit and nut yields. But 181 U.S. locations have seen this chill period decrease since 1980.