A historic snowstorm swept through several states in January, blanketing millions of Americans with thick layers of powder and ice and bringing persistently brutal cold temperatures.
WILX said that as this stubborn cold front begins to fade, another, more subtle situation is starting to “raise hidden dangers.”
What happened?
In states affected by this round of extreme winter weather, persistent low temperatures caused snowdrifts to freeze quickly.
In Michigan, weeks of snow are finally beginning to melt, creating a little-known risk.
A 2017 study in the journal Environmental Pollution found that little is known about how snow reacts with pollutants and how snowpack absorbs a wide range of pollutants.
WILX spoke with Dr. Dean McFarlane-Parrott, who explained that as the snow remains melted weeks after the storm, it is slowly contaminated with “vehicle exhaust, road salt, heavy metals” and other harmful carbon pollution.
In New York, WNYW reported similar concerns, adding that locals complained about dog feces buried in the city’s snowdrifts. On February 12, the New York Times reported on the city’s melting snow, noting that it also posed significant pollution risks to many of the region’s waterways.
Residents across a wide swath of Washington, D.C., are also facing rapid melting snow and the health risks it poses, according to WTOP.
Why is this concerning?
Blizzards can become dangerous quickly, and because they are usually treated as emergencies, the eventual melting of the snowpack is rarely considered a risk.
Melting snow not only absorbs pollutants and releases toxins in solid form. As McFarlane-Parrott warns, the toxins released when snow melts can cause alarming levels of air pollution.
Lansing, Michigan, resident Zac Williams told WILX he considers air quality ratings during wildfires, but not issues related to melting snow — however, the local air quality index was a hazardous 118 on Monday.
MacFarlane-Parrott said people often don’t realize how dangerous poor air quality can be, especially for vulnerable groups.
“If you can’t carry oxygen well, you’re going to have an increase in heart attacks, strokes,” he said in an interview with WILX. “…young children whose lungs are developing, if they have asthma, will also have it worse. If the air quality index is high, you should reconsider what you’re doing.”
What can we do about this?
As extreme weather becomes more frequent, awareness of key climate issues, such as the subtle risks posed by melting snow, is more important than ever.
The New York Times suggests ways to mitigate risks, including strategically placing green spaces to absorb runoff before it reaches rivers and waterways.
Researchers are looking into alternatives to road salt to lessen environmental damage, with The Times advising readers to “shovel first” and “avoid the temptation to overdo it”.
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