UMASS Landscape update

Pioneer Valley (Amherst)

General Conditions: 

A new growing season is upon us, and the landscape is slowly transforming after what many called an “old school New England winter.” This past winter season was certainly cold and snowy, something the region has not experienced for many years. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the average 3-month temperature (24.6°F) for Dec ‘25 through Feb ’26 ranks as the 38th coldest since 1895, putting it firmly in the top 1/3 all time. For reference, the table below shows average winter (Dec–Feb) temperatures in Massachusetts over the past decade, illustrating that what we just experienced was certainly a throwback. The data shows that five of the ten warmest winters on record have occurred in the past decade, a troubling scenario driven by climate change.

Winter	3-Mo. Avg. Temp.	Rank since 1895
Dec. '25 – Feb. '26	24.6°F	38th coldest
Dec. '24 – Feb. '25	27.4°F	43rd warmest
Dec. '23 – Feb. '24	33.6°F	2nd warmest
Dec. '22 – Feb. '23	33.5°F	4th warmest
Dec. '21 – Feb. '22	29.8°F	19th warmest*
Dec. '20 – Feb. '21	29.8°F	19th warmest*
Dec. '19 – Feb. '20	31.6°F	8th warmest
Dec. '18 – Feb. '19	28.8°F	29th warmest
Dec. '17 – Feb. '18	28.5°F	34th warmest
Dec. '16 – Feb. '17	31.8°F	7th warmest
Dec. '15 – Feb. '16	33.7°F	1st warmest
* = tied

The largest snowstorm, by far, occurred on Jan 25–26 when up over 20” accumulated in parts of Hampden and Hampshire Counties. But a series of additional storms helped to produce a deep snowpack that kept roots and the lower canopies of shrubs and small trees insulated from cold temperatures for many weeks. A brief warmup in early March, with high temperatures that peaked >70°F on March 10, helped to quickly melt the snow. But even now, pockets of snow are hanging on in deeply shaded landscapes. While drought conditions technically exist across much of the Commonwealth, they must be described in proper context at this time of year. Soil moisture is high and plant water usage remains very low. So, while we may be experiencing a water deficit over a prolonged period, plants are breaking dormancy to find ample soil moisture.

Pests/Problems:

Despite the cold winter, symptoms of winter injury on conifers and broadleaf evergreens are relatively limited this year. This may be partly due to the lack of a mid-winter thaw that can reduce or break the hardiness of many plants typically susceptible to injury. In the spring of 2025, winter injury on broadleaf evergreens and conifers was widespread, due in part to a historically dry autumn in 2024 (drought stress inhibits cold acclimation) and a barrage of desiccating winds over the winter. While autumn of 2025 was drier than average, drought stress was not nearly as widespread and there were fewer storms with desiccating winds this past winter. Branch breakage and crushing injury from heavy snow has been reported and observed on smaller conifers and broadleaf evergreens. Rabbit and vole damage is serious in some locations with significant bark chewing and girdling of smaller diameter trees and shrubs.

Nick Brazee, Plant Pathologist, 

UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab

, reporting from Amherst.