Climate experts say spring is coming earlier. How will that affect agriculture and ecosystems?
Climate Central's analysis found that spring is arriving earlier in most of the United States, with leaves emerging six days earlier on average in 88% of major U.S. cities since 1981. The earlier spring arrival could have consequences for agriculture, ecology, and people with seasonal allergies.
The USA National Phenology Network shows that spring arrived three to five weeks earlier than average in much of the central U.S. this year. Climate Central's analysis found that from 1981 to 2025, spring is trending to an earlier arrival in most of the United States. Leaves now emerge six days earlier on average in 212 out of 242 major U.S. cities. Cities in the Mississippi River basin are seeing earlier spring, with Hazard, Ky. experiencing leaves arriving 11 days earlier. The earlier spring can have widespread impacts, including increased pollen exposure for people with seasonal allergies and potential disruptions to bird migration patterns.
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