Seasonal climate transitions in New England

The seasonal climate transitions in northern latitudes give remarkable insight into climate feedback processes and the coupling of the water cycle to vegetation. Through them, perceptive observers can relate their experience of the seasons to key climate change processes, such as water vapour feedback and snow-ice albedo feedback, and understand the distinct roles of the three phases of water (ice, liquid and vapour) in the surface energy balance. The illustrations here will be taken from Vermont in northern New England, but the discussion is relevant wherever there is a winter cold season with temperatures well below freezing and a continental (rather than a maritime) climate. These seasonal climate transitions are sometimes obscured by the rapid changes of weather from week to week, but they are visible in most years. Despite this, the underlying climate processes are generally not well understood, even by many atmospheric scientists and weather forecasters.