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Fastest-Growing (and Shrinking) Clean Energy Jobs

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Source: 4FR / E+ via Getty Images

Clean energy is a growth industry, and increasingly so, but the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020 saw the clean energy workforce shrink by 3.73% from the previous year, according to preliminary data from the 2021 U.S. Energy Employment Report, as analyzed by E2, a nonpartisan group that advocates for environmental and economic policies. The gain of 188,775 clean energy jobs between 2017 and 2019 was wiped out — and then some — as 306,816 were lost in 2020. 

The largest sector by employment, energy efficiency — the sector employs about two-thirds of the clean energy workforce — suffered significant job losses in 2020, losing nearly 272,000 jobs, despite a recovery in the second half of the year. This was mainly attributed to restricted access to buildings for purposes of installations during the pandemic. 

The renewable energy and clean fuel sectors also saw significant job growth in the second half of 2020, though job growth was still negative by the end of the year when compared to 2017. 

Not all sectors suffered equally, and some actually did very well, continuing or expanding growth even through the pandemic — these sectors are providing the fastest growing energy jobs. Though clean vehicle jobs fell by 18.6% in the first months of 2020, they grew 26.2% in the second half, recording a 17.7% growth from 2017 through 2020. The grid and storage sector also managed to erase pandemic declines and post job growth from 2017.

Job changes by subsector were even more nuanced, though they generally reflected the sector overall. To find the fastest growing clean energy jobs, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed E2’s Clean Jobs America 2021 report. The 21 subsectors are ranked by job growth in the three years from 2017 through 2020. (And these are the states adding the most clean energy jobs.)

Despite the time, momentum, and employment opportunities lost due to COVID-19, the future of clean energy and clean energy jobs is extremely bright, and, for most sectors, the growth in recent years other than 2020 is an indicator of what is to come. (Find if any of the clean energy jobs are among the highest paying jobs you can get without a college degree.)

The level of growth will necessarily depend on the policies the federal government is able to enact in the coming years. Strong clean energy policies that include funding and other incentives will serve to create jobs in every state, offer savings to consumers based on energy efficiency, improve and protect the electric grid, reduce pollution, and play a needed role in the reduction of greenhouse gases that are driving climate change.

Click here to see fastest-growing (and shrinking) clean energy jobs
Click here to see our detailed methodology

The 25 Countries Increasing Emissions the Fastest

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Source: rui_noronha / Getty Images

The rewards of economic development are many: an increase in living standards, higher literacy rates, technological advances, longer lifespans, and greater wealth, among other benefits.

Historically, the fastest way to improve people’s lives is through the use of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum, accessed through mining and drilling. Harnessing the power of these fuels accelerated with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, converting many of the world’s economies into industrial powerhouses from largely agrarian societies. It is only within the last century, with the rise of the environmental movement, that we have been made aware of the threat fossil fuels pose to the future of our planet. (These are 26 countries that consume more energy than they produce.)

Many countries, most of them developed nations, have taken steps to switch to cleaner energy sources. But some have not and continue to use fossil fuels to raise their standard of living.

To determine the 25 countries increasing emissions the fastest, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from two sources: the 2021 Global Carbon Budget published annually by the Integrated Carbon Observation System, a community of more than 500 scientists and 80 universities and institutes studying greenhouse gas concentrations and carbon fluxes worldwide; and the International Energy Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Energy 2021 Edition report. 

We ranked 25 countries, lowest to highest, on the percentage of their change in CO2 emissions from 2010 to 2020, using data from the Global Carbon Project. Data on CO2 emissions change from 1971 to 2020 and total emissions by country is also from the same source. Data on each country’s change in CO2 emissions per capita and GHG emissions are from the IEA report.

Of the 25 countries on our list, all but one is in either Asia or Africa. The lone exception is Guatemala in Central America. (On a more local basis, these are the cities that emit the most carbon dioxide in the world.)

Click here to see the 25 countries increasing emissions the fastest

Virtually all of them have some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. For many, like Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo, development has depended on drilling for oil. It has also sometimes meant unfettered deforestation, an issue especially in nations such as Mongolia, where environmental laws and institutions are weak.

Most of the nations on this list are signatories to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Many have action plans to address sustainability and combat climate change. Their challenge is raising the economic well-being of their citizens while being guardians of the health of the planet.  

The Average December Temperature in America’s Biggest Cities

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Source: rabbit75_ist / Getty Images

While every year there is speculation about where in the U.S. there might be a white Christmas, increasingly in recent years expectations have been tempered with the realization that global warming is slowly changing what we’d consider “normal.” Temperatures could hit 70 degrees in Alaska in winter, or it could snow in Hawaii. The Hawaii weather news shows how radically temperatures can vary in a single state, even in the same week.

Global warming may bring America a Christmas present, whether we want it or not. A number of cities expect record unusually warm weather. The temperature in Dallas is expected to hit 79 degrees on Christmas Day, only 1 degree lower than the record for that day in the city and 20 degrees higher than the high average temperature in December in the city of 59 degrees. (These are the U.S. cities with the most unusual weather this year.)

To find the average high and low December temperatures in large American cities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Current Result’s Average Temperatures for Large US Cities in December. According to the site, which says it summarizes research and published data, the list was compiled using data from NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information’s Climate Normals.

As a general rule, the high and low temperatures by state in December are what most people would expect. The southern tier of states tend to have the highest temperatures, while the northern states tend to have the lowest ones. The same patterns hold true with cities.

There are some interesting exceptions to the north-south pattern. The average high temperature in Seattle in December is 47, higher than in St. Louis, at 45 degrees. St. Louis is usually considered a southern city. Seattle is very far north, but the Pacific Ocean keeps it relatively warm compared to more inland places in the same latitude. 

The large differences in temperature between U.S. regions has triggered a relocation of hundreds of thousands of people, and the populations of states like Florida and Arizona have swelled. (These are the cities with the best weather.)

Click here for the the average December temperature in America’s biggest cities

The 40 Countries Decreasing Emissions the Fastest

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Source: verve231 / iStock via Getty Images

Nations around the world are answering the clarion call to cut greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate change.

At the United Nations Glasgow climate summit in November, nearly 200 nations agreed to speed up the fight against climate change and commit to stronger climate pledges. The United States and China — the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gasses — vowed to improve their cooperation on climate change, a similar commitment made at the Paris Agreement in 2015. Progress at the November summit also was reportedly made in areas of methane gas and deforestation. 

As countries confront the challenge to the survival of the planet, some countries do a better job than others in reducing carbon emissions. (This country is the worst polluter in the world.)

To determine the 40 countries decreasing emissions the fastest, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from The Global Carbon Project, published annually by the Integrated Carbon Observation System, a community of more than 500 scientists, and from the International Energy Agency GHG Emissions from Energy 2021 Edition report. Countries are ranked by total CO2 emissions change from 2010 to 2020 using data from the Global Carbon Project. 

Data on CO2 emissions change from 1971 to 2020 and total emissions by country are also from the Global Carbon Project. Data on change in CO2 emissions per capita and GHG emissions are from the IEA report.

Ever since the Paris Agreement, countries around the world have directed efforts to address the climate change threat. More than 200 countries agreed to limit GHG emissions to try and keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius compared with temperatures before the Industrial Revolution.

Yet not everyone believes nations are moving fast enough. Climate scientists, legal experts, and politicians said agreements at the Glasgow conference did not go far enough to address the climate threat. Dissatisfaction with the pace of progress manifested itself in France, when a French court this past February convicted the French government of failing to show enough progress in meeting its legally binding emission reduction targets.

Countries on every continent except Australia are represented on the list of 40 as those that have reduced emissions the fastest from 2010 to 2020. More than half are European nations, many of whom are bound by GHG emission commitments tied to their membership to the European Union.

The continent with the next-most countries on the list is Asia with six, followed by North and South America with three each. (These are America’s 50 dirtiest cities.)

The United States, which returned to the Paris Agreement in February after President Joe Biden took office, managed to make the list of 40. As the world’s second largest polluter, however,the U.S. needs to do more. The world’s largest polluter, China, did not even make the list. China’s carbon emissions increased by nearly 24% from 2010 to 2020, and its GHG emissions by over 25%. (These are cities emitting the most carbon dioxide in the world.)

Click here to see the 40 countries emissions the fastest

Unusually Cold Days on the Rise in These American Towns

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Source: RyersonClark / E+ via Getty Images

Temperature is the primary measure of climate change, usually described as the warming of the planet as average temperatures trend higher. Not just average high temperatures are trending higher but average low temperatures – and that is having its own impact on natural systems and quality of life on Earth. 

Importantly, lower temperatures, which usually occur at night, play a crucial role in cooling the Earth and providing relief from high daytime temperatures. Low temperatures are also seasonal, and there are economic and health impacts to milder winters. They interfere with cold weather businesses, such as those related to outdoor recreation, winter apparel, or snow removal. Fewer cold days in winter can also mean the failure of some crops and the lengthening of mosquito and tick seasons.

While average low temperatures are generally rising faster than average high temperatures, there are some anomalies, including a trend of lower temperatures in some places, even as temperatures around the world are increasingly warmer. (These are the U.S. cities with the most unusual weather this year.)

One explanation for this phenomenon is that the warming of the Arctic and its waters has changed the shape and reach of the polar vortex, a circular, low pressure pattern of cold air. The stretching and weakening of the system, and its impact on the jet stream, result in an increase in cold temperature extremes in the U.S. and northern Eurasia. America’s South and Midwest appear to be particularly vulnerable to polar vortex events.

The Texas cold wave of last February serves as an alarming example of what changed weather patterns can bring. The Texas event caused 150 deaths and more than $20 billion in damages. Millions of people lost power across the state, bringing to national attention the vulnerability of our electricity delivery systems, cumulatively referred to as “the grid.” In January of 2019, another polar vortex event brought extreme low temperatures to the upper Midwest, with temperatures reaching into the -60s.

While the rest of the country has experienced a pattern of decreasing extreme cold, there are towns in the United States that have experienced an increase in unusually cold days since 1948. (This is the coldest town in every state.)

To find the towns where the number of unusually cold weather days increased since 1948, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the report Climate Change Indicators: High and Low Temperatures of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Perhaps surprising, most of the 23 towns on this list are in the South, with three towns each in Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina. Apart from one town in Pennsylvania and Michigan, the remaining six towns are in the West, with two in Colorado.

Click here to see the number of unusually cold days increased in only 23 US Towns

Methodology

To identify the cities in which the number of unusually cold days increased from 1948-2020, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the report Climate Change Indicators: High and Low Temperatures of the  Environmental Protection Agency. Unusually cold days are classified as days in which the minimum temperature is within the fifth percentile temperature during the 1948–2020 period. Only cities with weather stations that have been active since 1948 were considered. Population data came from the U.S. Census Bureau.

 

Some good climate news for the holidays

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Source: sharply_done / E+ via Getty Images

By David Callaway, Callaway Climate Insights

Regular readers of Callaway Climate Insights often ask how we can stand covering a subject so replete with bad news all the time. Indeed, as I look at the global headlines today, nine days before Christmas, there is precious little reason for seasonal hope.

Insurance giant Swiss Re’s annual report on climate disasters this week summed it up. It said more than 10,000 people died or went missing during natural disasters in the past 12 months and that insured losses ran more than $105 billion, the fourth-highest on record. It predicted things will be worse next year.

But as you’ll see in our coverage below, investors and companies aren’t rolling over. From new technologies to stop abuses in the Amazon Basin and profitable investments in natural resources stocks, to fighting environmental crime and carbon market vulnerabilities, as well as helping consumers track and reduce their own footprints, entrepreneurs are rising to the challenge.

And sometimes, sometimes, Mother Nature actually helps out. Such as in the wildfire-scarred Lake Tahoe region of the Sierra Nevada range in Northern California this week, where a massive storm dumped more than six feet of snow, delighting skiers as well as scientists battling the state’s epic drought.

These stories, and the people behind them, are what make our coverage of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) world as rewarding as it is important. We’re thankful for all of you who have joined us on this journey and look forward to seeing you again in the New Year. Happy holidays — Dave.

More insights below. . . .

ZEUS: These were 2021’s winners and losers for cleantech investors

. . . . If 2021 was a year of unrealized expectations in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) space, 2022 is shaping up to be a battle between opposing energy forces, in both markets and in politics. In his final Zeus column of the year, David Callaway looks at the winners and losers in cleantech stocks in the past 12 months, from natural resource plays to electric vehicles. And what roles inflation, supply chain issues, Covid, and geopolitics will have in shaping the ESG story for investors and companies alike in the year to come. . . .

Read the full ZEUS column

This is the carbon market’s most vulnerable sector to offset abuse

. . . . By some estimates, about 80% of the carbon offsets offered in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) are low quality, meaning they don’t accurately offset the amount of pollution a buyer is emitting when it buys them, writes Mark Hulbert. As investors work to clean up the voluntary market to make it more credible and effective, they will want to focus on offsets in the land, forest and agricultural sector, which accounts for almost half of all available offsets. Here is what investors will need to do in 2022 to fix this. . . .

Read the full column

These two companies are leading the fight to save Latin America’s rainforests

. . . . The Amazon Basin shifted from a carbon sink that sucks carbon from the atmosphere to net emitter of carbon in 2021, endangering the planet and proving the fallacy of waiting for governments, in this case, Brazil, to help fix global warming. Two companies, both using different forms of technology, aren’t waiting around for political help. Mike Molinski takes a look at Pachama and Royal DSM are coming at the same problem from separate angles, and what the prospects are that they can move the needle. . . .

Read the full story

The dark side of fighting climate change: environmental crime

. . . . Governments and banks must work together to stop an increasing threat of money laundering and dirty profits in the environmental industry if they want to combat global warming, as it’s become a $281 billion a year problem, writes Dan Byrne from Dublin, in this report in AML Intelligence. Activities such as illegal logging, cattle rustling, and forest clearing are making it profitable to destroy the environment. Financial Action Task Force President Marcus Pleyer, speaking at a conference in Europe, urged Western governments to develop new laws against money laundering as part of their campaigns to fight climate change. . . .

Read the full story

Thursday’s subscriber insights: Finding upside to solar and wind after a challenging year

. . . . As if troubled solar stocks haven’t had a bad enough year, now comes a new report predicting growth will be 25% less than forecast in 2022 because of inflation and supply chain issues. Add in politics with China and attacks on solar from the utilities in California and you’ve got a gloomy outlook for many of these high-fliers. But don’t overlook the market in solar components. Read more here. . . .

. . . . And as the U.S. slowly leans into its first offshore wind projects in the Northeast, it’s worth a look at other countries, such as Spain and China, where wind capacity is soaring and, at least in the Spanish case, threatening to replace coal almost entirely after only half a dozen years. Read this and weep, Sen. Joe Manchin. . . .

. . . . As billions in wealth are transferred to the children of Baby Boomers in coming years, where the young want to put that money is increasingly drawing attention. That a lot of it is heading toward environmental, social and governance funds points to a future in which how a company attempts to fight global warming will be a key investing decision for many of its shareholders. Read more here . . . .

. . . . New York City’s new law banning gas powered heaters, stoves and water boilers in new buildings is riling up an unexpected constituency — amateur chefs, who would never be caught dead working on an electric stove. With its buildings causing some 70% of the city’s carbon emissions, however, it’s likely the winner here is going to be the takeout industry. Read more here. . . .

. . . . And finally, some positive carbon reduction news by consumer offset app Joro, which reported Wednesday in a year-end update that its audience was able to collectively lower its emissions by 21% this past year. The company, run by entrepreneur Sanchali Pal said in its report, A Year of Decarbonizing with Joro that users cut emissions mostly from flying less and reducing home energy costs. They also managed to lower emissions some 6% using Joro’s offsets program, showing that a price on carbon can work, at least at this individual level. More to come on this next year. . . .

Editor’s picks: Humans causing extreme weather; plus, methane is leaking at a high rate from Permian Basin

Humans have created a new climate, and it’s not good

New research shows that human-caused climate change has made the extreme weather events we’ve recently experienced more likely, according to new research published Wednesday in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports climate change contributed to some of last year’s worst weather. That included failed monsoon rains that reignited the southwestern U.S. drought, a spring heat wave in western Europe, and intense Siberian wildfires. “This report reinforces the scientific consensus that human influence has created a new climate — one that is impacting extreme events today,” said Stephanie Herring, a NOAA climate scientist and editor of the Explaining Extreme Events report. “As humans continue to emit billions of tons of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, these extreme weather impacts are highly likely to increase.”

Methane leaking from Permian operations

Methane is leaking at a high rate from Permian Basin oil and gas operations, according to a report from Reuters. The report cites an aerial survey released this week which detected major methane plumes from 40% of 900 sites that were measured. Research done by the Environmental Defense Fund in November found that 14% of those plumes were the result of malfunctioning flares. The report also notes the survey follows a proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that would regulate methane emissions from existing oil and gas facilities.

Words to live by . . . .

“Greed over need harms us all. Corruption spreads through societies and erodes people’s trust in leaders & institutions. As countries invest in recovery from the pandemic, we must guard against the diversion of vital resources by criminal opportunists.”  — António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN.

Callaway Climate Insights Newsletter

By David Callaway

Harley jumps thru closing SPAC window; plus soccer’s troubling footprint

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Source: BravissimoS / Getty Images

By David Callaway, Callaway Climate Insights

Will the last electric vehicle SPAC out the door please shut off the lights? That’s the reaction prompted by Harley-Davidson’s (HOG) announcement this week that it will spin off its new electric motorcycle division in a special purpose acquisition company.

Harley’s LiveWire unit, whose $30,000 electric bike was re-launched at a lower price of $22,000 just six months ago, will go public on the NYSE in a $1.77 billion deal with a blank-check firm, under the ticker LVW. Harley will retain a 74% stake and CEO Jochen Zeitz will be chairman of the company, according to the announcement.

My former colleague, business writer Herb Greenberg, tweeted out the question yesterday why Harley didn’t just keep the unit, especially if it has the promise that the company has predicted, with 100,000 of the bikes sold in the next five years. Shareholders, who pushed HOG’s price up 11% after the announcement Monday, also seem to have reconsidered, as the shares came back down Tuesday.

The answer probably lies in the general outlook for SPACs in 2022. SEC chief Gary Gensler will almost certainly shut the loophole allowing them to use forward-looking information to pitch to investors, which isn’t now allowed for conventional IPOs. And the gaming of the deals in favor of SPAC investors over the companies will also be scrutinized.

The SPAC window is closing quickly, and there are hundreds of deals still out there desperately looking for a target company before it is too late. Harley’s move says as much about that as it does about the company’s expectations for LiveWire.

Calling all sustainability executives: Winmark, John Jeffcock’s company, which runs the Chief Sustainability Officer network, is surveying members and other ESG executives about how confident companies are about meeting their climate pledge targets. The survey takes less than five minutes and we’ll report the results here on Callaway Climate Insights in January. Check it out. Here’s the link to the survey.

More insights below. . . .

Flight shaming and football: European soccer’s carbon footprint problem

. . . . When it comes to the world’s most popular sport, leaders of Europe’s professional football leagues are increasingly showing feet of clay when it comes to reducing harmful carbon emissions from flying to events, writes Justin Sharon from New York. Despite shallow feints from such publicly traded teams as Manchester United and Juventus, airline travel is soaring as new tournaments demand more travel from teams around Europe, and the Middle East. Meanwhile, more than 23 British stadiums face annual flooding in 30 years. And then there’s the location of next year’s World Cup. . . .

Read the full story

Tuesday’s subscriber insights: One word: plastics (not)

. . . . Good news for new college graduates; the renewables field is hiring. Last year saw the largest jump yet in new grads going into the cleantech and environmental fields, and a corresponding drop in those joining oil and gas, according to LinkedIn. Bad news for companies without an ESG story to tell, however. Without a de-carb plan, the kids want nothing to do with you. Read more here. . . .

. . . . Wild swings in fossil fuel and renewable prices this past year have led to a surge in power price agreements (PPAs), which allow customers to lock in prices on cleantech deals such as wind and solar to avoid price swings when nature slows them down. As renewable prices fall and fossil fuels rise, expect more of these financial deals, especially in Europe. Read more here. . . .

. . . . Good to see Vice President Kamala Harris wheeled out to promote the White House electric vehicle charger effort this week with a photo opp, but the real news was that the energy and transportation departments are planning a joint office to roll the charger network out across the lower 48. How the states divvy up an estimated $5 billion in federal funds will be a key early decision. Read more here. . . .

. . . . The difference between Royal Dutch Shell’s approach to renewables and ExxonMobil grows wider every day, with Shell shifting profits from high oil prices to fund a renewable future while Exxon sits on its hands. It can also be seen at the shareholder level, portending a wild 2022 for one of them. Read more here. . . .

Editor’s picks: Deadly tornado outbreak; Biden to end funding for international fossil fuel projects

Was the deadly tornado outbreak related to climate change?

The strength and length of Friday’s deadly tornado outbreak, the time of year and the shifting of tornado alley farther east makes it “remarkable; unbelievable” the Associated Press quotes Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini. “It was really a late spring type of setup in the middle of December.” The AP report notes that scientists are still working to understand how climate change is affecting the frequency, strength and location of tornadoes, but they do know atmospheric conditions that give rise to such outbreaks are intensifying in the winter as the planet warms.

Biden to end federal funding for international fossil fuel projects

The White House plans to immediately stop federal funding for international fossil fuel projects as part of its effort to transition to carbon-neutral and promote financing to support emissions reductions, according to published reports. The policy was transmitted in a cable to U.S. embassies and agencies and first reported by Bloomberg. E&E News says the Biden Administration’s move would exclude coal projects, but also could affect future natural gas terminals in Eastern Europe and the Caribbean that would have received U.S. liquefied natural gas shipments. The E&E report cites a State Department spokesperson as saying the decision also contains exemptions if the project is necessary to protect national security interests or advance development goals in places where no viable low-carbon alternative exists.

Callaway Climate Insights Newsletter

By David Callaway

Investor’s guide to Build Back Better

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Source: iip-photo-archive / Flickr

By David Callaway, Callaway Climate Insights

(Bill Sternberg is a veteran Washington journalist and former editorial page editor of USA Today.)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Callaway Climate Insights) — Let’s start at the very beginning. What is Build Back Better?

Build Back Better (BBB) is the Biden administration’s plan to spend some $2 trillion over the next 10 years on social and climate programs. It should not be confused with, but often is confused with, the Bipartisan Infrastructure (BIF) bill, a $1 trillion public-works plan that was signed into law last month with support of members from both parties.

Why should climate investors care about BBB?

BBB contains $555 billion in climate-related spending and tax credits. If it passes, it would represent the most significant action on climate change ever taken by the United States government, and it would make a significant dent in America’s greenhouse gas emissions. That, to quote what Joe Biden said about the enactment of Obamacare, would be a BFD. . . .

To read this column, all our insights, news and in-depth interviews, please subscribe and support our great climate finance journalism.

Callaway Climate Insights Newsletter

By David Callaway

The Rarest Types of Weather on Earth

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Source: David McNew / Getty Images

Earth’s climate systems are extraordinarily complex, producing every moment of the day weather and climate conditions of all varieties. Predicting the weather even a few days into the future remains an imperfect science riddled with challenges only made larger by climate change. 

24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of 22 rare weather events. We concentrated on the most surprising and infrequently occurring weather patterns — be they unusual varieties of catastrophic storms such as cyclones in the Mediterranean Sea or spectacular visual phenomena such as ball lightning.

Some of these unusual weather events appear to be occurring with greater frequency as shifts in the Earth’s climate continue to accelerate. Here is a list of places where the weather is getting worse because of climate change.

Last year was tied with 2016 for the hottest recorded year on Earth and 2019 was the second wettest year on record for the United States.

Unusual high pressure zones in 2013 blocked or diverted storms off the coast of California, leading to one of the worst droughts in the state’s history. Unusually destructive wildfires in subsequent years were also attributed by meteorologists to increased occurrences of atmospheric blocking.

Record high temperatures and unusual precipitation events such as these, as well as the more rare weather events such as nacreous clouds that form from methane concentrations and atmospheric blocking events in the jet stream, are all becoming increasingly common as climate change progresses.

Click here to see the rarest types of weather on Earth

The 22 Coldest Towns in North America

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Source: andipantz / E+ via Getty Images

Spring is now underway across most of the United States. In the northern part of the country, snows are melting, and average high temperatures are above 60 degrees. In the south, temperatures are in the 70s and 80s, not yet reaching unbearable summer heat levels. However, the United States is vast and North America even larger, and not all areas in North America are now experiencing anything like what would be considered by many the typical spring weather. 

Temperature variations by area can be the result of proximity to major bodies of water and elevation, but mostly they are due to distance from the equator. The further north, the lower the temperature, and heading north on the map reveals some towns and cities where hundreds and even thousands of residents live most of the year in below-freezing temperatures.

To determine the coldest towns in North America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed average temperature data from the Global Historical Climate Network of the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Towns were ranked based on the average year-round temperature from 2011 to 2020 of the nearest weather station, and only places with populations of at least 1,000 residents were included.

In many of the 22 places on this list, average April temperatures are still well below freezing, and in a few places, even still below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, during the winter, these towns get even colder. In Pond Inlet, Canada, temperatures in the month of February 2011 averaged almost -25°F. The hottest month in Pond Inlet in the past decade was August 2019, when the average recorded temperature reached 48.5°F. 

The majority of the places on this list are in Canada, and there are a few in Greenland. As might be expected, the American cities that make this list are all in Alaska. While they do not make this list, there are still plenty of places in the lower 48 states that get shockingly cold in the Winter. These are the coldest towns in every U.S. state.

Click here to see the 22 coldest towns in North America
Click here to read our detailed methodology

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