The current school year has seen seven school days canceled due to weather (as of the time of writing), six of which have been in February alone. The irregular school schedule can slow down the pace of teaching and hamper the learning of students. As the world reacts to the pollution of human industry and modern life, the effects of climate change include much more than warming the globe. 

In Feb. 2021, the Central and Southern United States were hit by a severe period of frigid winter temperatures caused by the polar vortex. The polar vortex is a naturally occurring phenomenon that keeps Arctic air inside the Arctic. The polar jet stream plays a key role in this, as a constant band of strong wind surrounding the North Pole. 

The jet stream separates the polar air from the warm southern air, but that stream can break down. As the Earth warms up from climate change and greenhouse gases, the winds warm up and lose energy to keep the polar vortex contained. This causes the polar vortex to become wavy and descend south, washing North America and Europe in freezing temperatures. Last year’s polar vortex and ensuing bad weather was a major cause of the Texas power grid failure. The ever-rising temperature of the Earth will continue to break down the polar jet stream during the winter and potentially have disastrous effects similar to what happened in Texas.

These changes in winter weather aren’t just showing up in the form of a south-moving polar vortex. Out of St. Louis’ top ten years with the least snow, measured by total snowfall, three  have occurred since 2000. The 21st century has also included three of St. Louis’ highest temperatures on record as well as five of the highest low daily temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. 

Even though the snowfall rate may be slowing down, the rain isn’t. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in a 2016 report, showed that average annual rainfall in Missouri has increased by 5 to 10 percent over the past 50 years, and will continue to do so. This increases the risk of major flooding, and could have negative impacts on the Washington area due to river proximity.

While snow days can be enjoyable for students, they may not be as common in the future. A warming and more unstable environment may take a further toll on school calendars, causing school to be canceled from major floods later in the year. The changing climate includes more than just heat, and it’s important to be aware of the new effects it may cause to interfere with everyday life here in Missouri.