Across the country, people are excited about the increasingly warm weather and mild winter the world has been experiencing in 2017. Students at Pleasant Valley are thrilled about this warm weather, especially considering the freezing winters many of them have grown accustomed to. Cassie Huffman, junior, said, “It’s nice to go outside instead of being cooped up inside all day.”
However, the brutally cold midwestern winters do serve a purpose, and an absence of one is proving to have serious consequences.
Come summer, there will likely be many more insects and bugs than usual. According to livescience.com, freezing temperatures typically kill off many insects, but with warmer temperatures, they are able to remain active. This means people can expect double the usual amount of mosquitos, ticks, and fleas during their summer activities this year.
The warm weather is also causing issues for many species of animals. The Fox 13 news station of Salt Lake City, Utah said, “The spring-like weather is throwing off the animals and they are getting a jump on things they shouldn’t be doing for another month.” Many animals are coming out of hibernation early and are mating too soon, which could cause overpopulation come spring.
Several companies rely on the winter season for a majority of their sales, but this warm weather has resulted in significant losses in revenue. Many ski resorts, including the local Snowstar Winter Sports Park, have been unable to open their slopes many days this year due to the weather conditions. Other businesses which sell winter apparel and equipment have also been hit hard this season.
Although many people have been enjoying the warmth, there are several individuals who are very upset to be missing out on some of their favorite winter activities, especially skiing, snowboarding, and sledding. Joseph Redecker, freshman, said, “I really missed being able to go snowboarding all the time this year. Usually I go almost every weekend during the winter.”
Luckily, for the environment and winter sport enthusiasts, the unseasonably warm weather is not expected to last much longer. According to weather.com, Bettendorf temperatures could reach as low as 25 degrees by Thursday, March 2.
