Experts Warn of Looming Threat of Powerful Storms

Warming winters and more intense winter storms create dangerous combination for East Coast communities

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Even as winters get warmer, the biggest winter storms are becoming more intense on the East Coast, creating a dangerous combination that's catching communities off guard. Experts say global warming has not stopped, and the shift toward fewer but stronger winter storms puts lives, infrastructure, and local economies at risk.

Why it matters

The paradox of warmer winters and more severe winter storms is a troubling pattern tied to rising global temperatures. These changes threaten public health, strain emergency services, damage homes and businesses, and destabilize livelihoods - especially for low-income communities that already struggle to recover from disasters.

The details

Warmer air holds more water, and when temperatures dip low enough, all that extra moisture can fall as snow, fueling larger and more disruptive storms than usual. This shift toward fewer but stronger winter storms puts communities at risk, as response systems may lag when they're not used to severe winter events. Scientists are investigating whether warming could also disrupt stratospheric circulation, potentially helping storms 'stay colder' than they would otherwise be in a warming environment.

  • Pittsburgh was recently hit with nearly a foot of snow, narrowly missing the record set by the 2010 'Snowmageddon' storm.
  • Temperatures remained well below freezing this week.

The players

Mark Serreze

Director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Matt Barlow

Climate science professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

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What they’re saying

“Global warming has not stopped. You're always going to see variable weather patterns, and that's what we've got right now.”

— Mark Serreze, Director, National Snow and Ice Data Center (The Cooldown)

“Warmer air holds more water. When temperatures dip low enough, all that extra moisture can fall as snow, fueling larger and more disruptive storms than usual.”

— Matt Barlow, Climate Science Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell (The Cooldown)

What’s next

Many cities and organizations are reassessing emergency response plans and upgrading infrastructure to handle increasingly intense storms, though experts warn that adaptation alone won't be enough. Reducing planet-warming pollution is essential to slowing climate shifts.

The takeaway

This case highlights the dangerous combination of warmer winters and more intense winter storms, which threatens public health, infrastructure, and local economies - especially for vulnerable communities. Addressing this challenge will require both adapting to the changes and taking action to reduce the underlying causes of climate change.