Q1: What did you do in the winter as a kid?

We got the conversation flowing while reminiscing over our  favorite winter activities; building igloos, sledding, or snowball fights. I remember, especially, when there was a huge blizzard and I was so small that my older (and taller) brother had to push me around on a sled or else I’d disappear in the snow! Others shared similar memories:

Q2: Let’s talk Prep – Seems bundling up and dealing with wet clothes can be a hassle. What are tips for prepping for winter play and all that comes with it?

Whether it’s hot or cold outside, we can all agree that getting out of the house and expanding our imagination is an essential part of growing up. But what are good tips for prepping for winter play and all that comes with it? The general consensus seemed to be bundling everyone up before going outside to play.

It’s a constant battle, however, to keep the layers on, especially the gloves. Kids want to touch everything and tend to shed their gloves soon after getting out the door, even if it means having cold little fingers as a result. I’m sure you’re also wondering what the best way is to keep gloves on your kiddies:

It also doesn’t hurt to have extra gloves, hats, and shirts lying around that are dry and ready to go at a moment’s notice. This way if kids are eager to get outside when the snow starts falling, you’re not searching all over the house for matching gloves, socks, or boots. You never know when the urge to run, jump, and play outdoors will overcome you! [Side Note: Did you know that playing outdoors in the cold won't make you sick? That's right! We actually tend to get sicker in the winter because we stay indoors and it becomes easier to spread germs that way. Remember, the more we're outside the happier and healthier we will be and so will the kids.]

Q3. One of the biggest challenges is just getting out the door. What activities or motivators get you or your kids moving?

Sometimes it can be hard to motivate kids to get outside, especially in a world where “there’s nothing to do out there,” and video games and the computer seem way more interesting. Little do kids know, there’s a whole world waiting for them to explore:

• Slow Family Online suggested to keep a snowman kit handy
• Libby  suggested making a plan ahead of time, regardless of what the weather is going to be
• Others say that having resources available that suggest fun, outdoor activities, such as our new winter activity guide: How Not to Hibernate, are great motivators

Try making it a play-date with friends of yours and the kids!

• Madonna says that meeting friends for a hike is big on her list
• Polarn O. Pyret USA suggests checking out ActiveKidsClub.com because an outdoor outing is always more fun with more people

What’s your greatest outdoor motivator?

 Q4: Short days, full schedules. How do you squeeze play time in too?

Busy schedules can put a damper on our motivation. I remember growing up and always having swim practice after school, homework, Girl Scouts; you name it, and I probably did it. So how do we find the time to play outside? Even during the winter, it’s very important to ensure plenty of outdoor time for you and the family, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be a huge adventure. Sometimes, going for walks after dinner or running around the backyard to let off some steam from a busy day can be plenty of outdoor time. Walking home from school, stopping at a park for a little bit of play time, or even some pre-bedtime star gazing are some really great ways to enjoy nature for a short while in between all of the chaos of after school activities. Here are a few other tips parents shared for getting back outside:

There’s still plenty of tips and tricks on our Facebook page. Share some of your own, too! I would like to send out a special thank you to our amazing guest speakers, Hana Schardt, from our very own Ranger Rick Magazine, Suz Lipman,  Author and Founder of Slow Parenting Online and Social Media Director for the Children & Nature Network, and Linda Kerr, Social Media & PR Manager at Polarn O. Pyret USA. The chat was absolutely amazing and we couldn’t have done it without everyone’s enthusiasm and support.

If you haven’t already, like Be Out There on Facebook for year-round tips, tricks, and fun activities to get your moving and back outdoors or sign up for our month E-Newsletter for all the latest Be Out There news.

Lake Michigan, March 2012. Source: Flickr (farlane)

Skiing on Lake Michigan

When I was 10, we rented a house along the shores of Lake Michigan for a winter weekend. Growing up in Chicago, I had spent many hours playing on the beach in the summertime. But, this was my first visit to the lake during winter. And it was magical, like something out of an actual winter wonderland. We spent hours cross-country skiing through forests frosted with icicles.

Most amazing of all was the lake. In contrast to the summer waves lapping the shore, there was ice extending probably hundreds of yards out into the lake. The ice was more than thick enough for us to ski right out on the lake! I still remember how thrilling this felt!

After a winter like 2011-2012, these sorts of memories feel distant, almost archaic. With this year’s warm winter weather, the lakes have had very little ice. Satellite images indicate that only 5 percent of the lakes froze over, much less than the around 50 percent ice cover that was typical when I was a child.

Great Lakes Are Losing Ice

It’s not just this year. The annual mean lake ice area observed on Lake Michigan has declined by 77 percent from 1973 to 2010, according to a recent paper published by Jia Wang and other researchers at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the University of Michigan. In fact, all of the lakes have seen a long term decline in ice cover, with an average loss of 71 percent.

The authors point to increasing winter air temperatures as an explanation. Over the same time period, winter temperatures increased by 2.7 – 4.0 degrees Fahrenheit on average in the Great Lakes region. Water temperatures are increasing even more. With less ice cover to reflect the Sun’s rays back to space, the lakes can absorb more heat each year.

Of course, the decline in ice cover isn’t a steady downward march. The year-to-year variability caused by natural cycles is still an important factor in how much ice will form in any particular year. This new paper also sheds light on the roles of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation in controlling the short-term variability.

More than Ice at Stake

The loss of winter-time ice in the Great Lakes has ripple effects for wildlife and outdoor activities alike.  NWF staffer Melinda Koslow summarizes some potential impacts of lost ice: dangerous algal blooms, the loss of protection for fish eggs and near-shore wetland habitats, and increased evaporation leading to lower lake water levels. Meanwhile ice fishing activities have been curtailed across the Midwest and in other northern states this year.

Take Action

The last few months serve as a window into what winter will usually look like in a warmer world. Let’s also use this winter as a wake-up call to start taking actions to preserve the outdoor winter traditions that we each treasure.

Email officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to let them know you support limits on carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants.

Early budding trees are confused by the weather. via Nathan Walls/Flickr

My kids know snow – the past two winters in our region started in November with heavy snowfalls and chilling cold that extended into March. We bundled up and sledded and played, and physically felt the effects of the Earth’s tilt away from the sun and movement of cooler air over our region. We could on a basic level relate to the animals that grow thicker coats in the winter and those that enter hibernation to survive the cold.

But a winter like this, where our boots have seen more mud than snow? Certain plants have begun to grow again, including a patch of Swiss chard leftover from last year’s gardening. I’ve seen geese and other birds on the move in flocks; perhaps they remained in their northern autumn stopovers a little longer than usual? This season lacks the sense of dormancy, of rest that brings renewal, that a typical winter brings.

Sadly, warmer winters are part of the long term climate change trend that is shifting our weather baseline. Meteorologists and climate change scientists are clear that one wacky weather year does not signal climate change, that it takes many years to establish a warming trend. The current weather, including unusually cold temperatures and snows in the South, has part of its explanations in La Nina’s cooling of the Pacific Ocean and other factors. But global warming is also a factor and there’s nothing like a mild winter to make you imagine a dramatically changed future climate.

Stewards of Winter

Whatever winter is — now or in the future, snow or no snow — I want my children to experience it fully. Only then can they know its value in our ecosystem. I hope they will be stewards of winter as the freezing cold season it ought to be, and to be aware of the implications if that should change.

Simply being outside every day is a big part of our education. We smell the damp earth unperfumed with flowers. When my toddler digs a hole, I point out the absence of insects. We track foraging deer and rabbits by their footprints. I want my boys to learn that winter freezes are important for many plants, and early budding could lead to damage. I explained to my 7 year old that warmer temperatures mean some birds aren’t migrating as far south as in the past, and that means there isn’t always enough food for them all. His solution is to install bird feeders throughout our town – that may be something to think about.

Winter hasn’t skipped us entirely. The few days with snow gave us some excellent sledding, and we played with the white stuff until the last bit melted. The remaining mud in our yard reminds me of melted chocolate, surrounding our boots with each step like they are dipped strawberries. No matter. My kids tried some mud sledding. It’s not as much fun, but I’m glad they’re in the winter spirit.

All of us in the Great Lakes region (and perhaps other regions also) are either enjoying or fretting over what is such a mild winter. Air temperatures remain above average and snowfall amounts are very small. In fact, in Michigan we’ve had more rain than snow this winter. But, what effect has this mild winter had on Great Lakes ice? Let the images speak for themselves.

February Average Great Lakes Ice Cover from 1973 to 2002. Image by NOAA GLERL.

Here is the average ice cover over the entire Great Lakes in February from the years 1973 to 2002. Red, orange and yellow areas indicate thick ice. Pay special attention to Lake Erie.

Great Lakes Ice Cover for February 2012. Darker colors indicate areas of thick ice. Image by NOAA GLERL.

NOW look at Lake Erie. In this image the darker areas indicate the thickest ice. Lake Erie is very light.

Stunning, isn’t it.

Lake Erie as the Canary

Why is the lack of Lake Erie ice important? Lake Erie is the shallowest Great Lake with the least volume of water. That is why it is usually the first lake to develop and retain ice throughout the winter.

Lake Erie does most of its freezing in February so if temperatures continue on this warm path, it may not freeze at all this winter.

Consequences of Thin Ice

We hear a lot about how thin ice in the Arctic harms polar bears and other Arctic wildlife and people, but how does thinning lake ice affect Great Lakes wildlife and people?

Flickr\ Teresa Boardman, 2006

Image by NOAA, February 3, 2012.

Lack of ice cover may also cause problems for fish populations. Many fish species depend on the protection that ice cover provides their eggs from dangerous winds or waves. Also, ice cover helps to ward off any bacterial growth that may affect the survival of the fish. Ice fishing – part of a multi-billion dollar fishing industry is also affected as the ice is a no longer reliable platform to partake in the activity.

Nearshore wetlands and shorelines, habitat for many wildlife species, are also affected as they depend on stable ice for protection from erosion. Our wetlands in the Great Lakes are vital to bird and other amphibian habitat, protecting the lakes from sediment pollution and cleaning our drinking water. We need them to stay on the shore.

Ice cover also provides protection from wintertime evaporation of the lakes. Evaporation rates are the highest in the winter. Sustained lack of ice cover over a few years or decades could contribute to lower lake levels.

When it comes to another very large economic driver in the Great Lakes, shipping, timing is everything. If the temperatures cool and the lakes freeze later into the spring it can cause issues for the industry. Heavy ice conditions in early spring can delay the shipping season and cause navigational problems.

What’s in store for Lake Erie’s ice?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory is creating ice forecasting models as part of their Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System. Currently they are able to forecast circulation, temperature, and wave conditions the lakes. Ice cover and thickness will give us even more information to prepare for conditions as they come. Here is the forecast for the next ten days. Dark colors indicate ice concentration and brighter colors indicate the water temperatures.

Image by NOAA GLERL GLCFS, 2012.

As for the longer-term, we need to work together to reduce temperature-raising greenhouse gas emissions in order to protect wildlife and people. Brenda Archambo, long-term Michigander and ice fisher (her family’s been ice fishing for four generations!) recently made the case to the EPA to cut carbon pollution from cars. Hear her story and watch her testimony here.

Cherry blossoms in the Washington, DC area captured on February 4, 2012 (Kelly Senser)

Across the continental United States, people are noticing that it’s been unseasonably warm this winter. My colleague Tony Iallonardo asked National Wildlife Federation staff last week if anyone had noticed anything unusual.  Responses came pouring in!

• Michigan: Jeff Alexander in Grand Haven, MI reports that for the first time in 20 years there are no ice floes on the east coast of Lake Michigan. Normally the ice is 10 feet tall and ¼ mile out into the lake! And, Brenda Archambo shared that numerous outdoor winter festivals have been cancelled because of poor ice and snow conditions.
• Western Massachusetts: Jenny Kordick reached out to Mark Jester, President of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen in Pittsfield MA. He reports that sportsmen are having more problems with ticks—on themselves and their dogs—even in winter. This year, several ice fishing derbies in Western MA have been postponed or outright cancelled, owing to the lack of ice. And, more geese and other waterfowl are spending the winter on lakes and ponds further north, becoming such a nuisance that golf courses and lake and pond associations are now applying for permits to destroy these new residents.
• New York City: Eliav Bitan in New York City reports that trees are sending out green leaves already in Central Park. Emily Maxwell mentioned that the annual Winter Jam was canceled this year because it was too warm to make snow.
• Washington, DC: Here in the DC area, several NWF staff reported that some of the famous Cherry Trees are already starting to bud out, confounding forecasts for the peak bloom, which usually would be at the end of March or early April. Meanwhile, Miles Grant says he’ll remember this winter most for the “seemingly endless bug season.” He said the little critters were crawling through is window or patio door well into December, and now are already returning!
• Atlanta, GA: Glenn Dowling reports that his first daffodil of the year bloomed on the first day of the year. That’s a whole lot sooner than their early March bloom in 2006 and even their early February bloom last year. And, Jaclyn McDougal bemoaned that the mosquitoes are out in “full force”.
• Boulder, CO: Brian Pritchett said he was “eaten alive” by mosquitoes last weekend, while David Ellenberger grumbled about how miserable the ski season in Colorado has been so far this year. Let’s hope that the snow they received last week helps salvage the rest of the season!
• San Francisco Bay area: Kassie Rohrbach shares that everyone out there is talking about the drought and how the snowpack in the Sierras is at 19% of normal for this time of year. What’s worse, the lack of rain has meant more smog and much reduced visibility, even on sunny days.

Another Oddball Winter for the Record Books

According to NOAA, weather stations across the country broke or tied 3,110 daily high temperature records in January, compared to a measly 164 daily low temperature records.  This lopsided ratio is something that climate scientists have been tracking as a clear sign of global warming. In the first half of the 20^th century, record highs and lows were set in about equal numbers. But, in the 2000’s, record highs outpaced record lows by a factor of 2 to 1. Climate projections for mid-century indicate that the ratio could increase to 20-to-1 if carbon pollution continues to increase.

But, global warming is having a seemingly peculiar—and sometimes confusing!—effect on winter weather. Across the Midwest and Eastern US, this year has brought unseasonably warm weather, while the last two winters are remembered for their extreme snowfall events. Some of the variation reflects normal year-to-year variability, largely due to large-scale climate oscillations like El Nino/La Nina and the Arctic Oscillation. But these weather conditions also are affected by the shifting climate baseline.  Although it may seem somewhat counterintuitive at first glance, global warming is contributing to heavier snowfall events.  As the atmosphere warms, it can hold more moisture, leading to heavier precipitation events.  If it’s cold enough, that precipitation will be snow, and lots of it!  Of course, if we don’t get a handle on carbon pollution, we’ll have fewer and fewer days that are cold enough to snow and more winters like the current one.

For more background on whacky winter weather, check out the NWF report Odd-Ball Winter Weather: Global Warming’s Wake-Up Call for the Northern United States.

What Have You Noticed?

Have you seen something that was out of ordinary?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

Shrubs and evergreen trees provide ideal cover as do birdhouses and nesting boxes.

1. A cozy hangout

Natural nooks and crannies offer our feathered friends protection from harsh weather and predators. Shrubs and evergreen trees are ideal. Leaves and sticks can be piled up in a remote corner of the yard to be used as shelter or as nesting material. A simple birdhouse or nesting box can be hung from your porch, deck or fence. Learn how to choose the right birdhouse.

2. A way to wet their whistle

All birds need water, particularly in the winter when many natural water sources are frozen and inaccessible. Choosing a heated bird bath or extra heater accessory for your existing bird bath will provide liquid water for the birds, so they will not need to spend precious calories on melting snow or ice. Furthermore, having water available in your yard year-round will attract a wider range of birds. Find out more about providing water to wildlife in winter.

 3. A shiny new feeder

A variety of birdhouses and feeders are available at shopnwf.org. Each purchase makes a difference for wildlife.

4. A few good meals

Birds need extra energy and calories during the winter to keep warm and healthy. They can get that energy best from higher quality birdseed like black oil sunflower seed. For an extra holiday treat, buy a seed bell, decorative seed wreath or other novelty seed sculpture for the birds.  Or, help the kiddies make these cute suet ornaments. Here are ten simple tips for successful winter bird feeding.

5. A clearly marked no-fly zone

According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, more birds die because of collisions with glass than any other factor associated with human activity. Anywhere from 100 million to 1 billion birds are killed by window strikes each year. One way to deter birds from flying into windows is to buy specialty window decals. Or, decorate the windows with nature ornaments by following these easy step-by-step instructions.

If you have created a backyard haven for birds and other wildlife, make it an official National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat site today. Gift certifications are also available. >>

When it snows in October,
And it seems autumn’s over,
We go out and play
And have a great day
Building in a backyard wonderland.

Gone away is the cell phone.
Joyful smiles set a new tone.
We laugh with our friends.
It’s fun to pretend,
Building in a backyard wonderland.

In the garden we construct a snowman—
Leaves for hair that come from yonder tree.
He will melt but not our happy feelings.
They’ll live on in our family’s memory.

Later on when we’re older,
Thinking back to days much colder,
Mom and kids will both say
“I’m glad that we played.”
Our backyard is a treasured wonderland.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In defense of Jim’s wig-out, I’ve experienced thundersnow and it’s piercingly loud – the sound travels more easily through a snowstorm’s cold, dense air. And if someone was videotaping me at a key moment of amazement – say, the time I watched a bald eagle catch a huge fish in the Potomac River at Turkey Run Park – I wouldn’t contain excitement any better than Jim did.

Why is our changing global climate increasing the chances of freak weather events like thundersnow? Check out Al Gore’s explanation.

Midwest snowstorm (via Flickr's NASA Goddard Photo & Video)

Here’s the thing about people who deny 2010 was tied for the hottest year on record, or claim that even if this year’s warm, it’s all totally normal – what’s your alternative explanation for 18-foot ice waves?

A major blizzard the National Weather Service is calling “life-threatening” is on its way to the Chicago area, also bringing along strong winds that could send 18-foot Lake Michigan waves onto Lake Shore Drive Tuesday night into early Wednesday. [...]

Wind gusts could hit up to 50 mph and waves could build up to 14 to 18 feet on Lake Shore Drive. That could result in beach erosion and coastal flooding, particularly on Lake Shore Drive and on other flood prone areas near the lake with overwash from high waves, [National Weather Service meteorologist Samuel] Shea said.

Although a 1/2-inch of ice buildup was reported on Lake Michigan Monday morning, the winds and waves could break up the ice and send it onto nearby roads.

Dr. Amanda Staudt, climate scientist with the National Wildlife Federation, has reported on how the climate crisis is causing extreme winter weather:

• Global warming is bringing a clear trend toward heavier precipitation events. Many areas are seeing bigger and more intense snowstorms, especially in the upper Midwest and Northeast.
• Global warming is shifting storm tracks northward. Areas from the Dakotas eastward to northern Michigan have seen a trend toward more heavy snowfall season.
• Reduced ice cover on the Great Lakes increases lake-effect snowfalls.

At last week’s American Meteorological Society annual meeting, Kevin Trenberth, head of the Climate Analysis Section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said it’s time to stop asking whether any one particular extreme weather event is caused by the climate crisis:

It is worth considering whether the odds of the particular event have changed sufficiently that one can make the alternative statement “It is unlikely that this event would have occurred without global warming.” For instance, this probably applies to the extremes that occurred in the summer of 2010: the floods in Pakistan, India, and China and the drought, heat waves and wild fires in Russia. It likely also applies to the flooding in Queensland, Australia In January 2011.

Watch Dr. Staudt explain the connection between rising carbon pollution & extreme winter weather:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Photo Credit: Flickr's Californian Em

Winter has definitely taken hold of my yard. It’s pretty bleak looking with the exception of a winterberry holly still showing off some bright red berries.

With the exceptionally cold days we have had many of my wildlife residents are laying low, but I can always count on a few squirrels out and about to keep me entertained. So it seems appropriate that I should celebrate National Squirrel Appreciation Day on January 21 by giving these furry friends something to munch on as they scrounge for winter food sources.

Yes, there really is such a thing as Squirrel Appreciation Day, founded in 2001 by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove of Asheville, North Carolina. The most common squirrel in the U.S. is the Eastern gray squirrel which averages a little over 16 inches and weighs about a pound.

Here are some tasty snacks to keep those bushy-tailed acrobats fed when the winter pickins are slim:

• Loop a piece of chain with an eye-screw at its end on a nearby tree branch. Screw on an ear of dried field corn and watch as the squirrels swing and sway while grabbing dinner.
• Smear peanut butter on a pinecone and hang it on a tree, it will keep squirrels occupied for hours.
• Put chunks of stale bread or shelled peanuts on your deck or porch railing. Get ready to watch the show.
• The best way to help out squirrels is to plant native nut and seed producing trees. Oaks, hickories, pecans, walnuts and beeches are just a few of the trees that will not only feed the squirrels naturally but provide shelter and nesting places too.

You can appreciate squirrels and still put them through their paces.  Enroll your local squirrels in the Animal Olympics by creating an obstacle course. Squirrels can actually jump ten times the length of their bodies.

Need some inspiration? See what this guy was willing to do for an afternoon snack. And if adults really want to kick your celebration up a notch, try serving a Flying Squirrel drink.

Get more family-friendly activities to celebrate National Squirrel Appreciation Day from National Wildlife Federation. And share your own squirrel photos, observations, questions, and stories on www.facebook.com/green hour or on Twitter.