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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... OUR VIEW Our View: Coping with Southern Oregon's changing climate Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Oct. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Longtime Medford residents are accustomed to dealing with the Rogue Valley's sometimes scorching summer heat by reminding ourselves that it could be worse — we could be living in Redding. Just wait, climate forecasters said Tuesday: By the end of the century, we might as well be. Even sooner than that, Rogue Valley residents could see the summer of 2015 become the norm, with long stretches of hot weather, devastating wildfires and meager snowpack. Phil Mote, director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, told attendees at a local climate change conference on Tuesday that this past summer could serve as an example of what we will see regularly in about 30 years. Mote, who is a professor at Oregon State University's College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, said the entire Pacific Northwest region is in for big changes if historic trends continue. Here in Southern Oregon, summer heat is less of a concern than the lack of winter snow. Ryan Sandler of the National Weather Service said average temperatures have risen about 2.5 degrees in Medford since 1915, and 4 degrees in Grants Pass since 1895. But the really alarming figure is the change in snowfall. While overall precipitation has held fairly steady, more of it is falling as rain, which does not recharge reservoirs in the same way as melting snowpack in the spring. Average snowfall in Medford has dropped from 9 inches a year in the early 1900s to 3.5 inches now. And, Sandler said, if temperature trends continue, mountain snow levels are likely to rise 1,000 to 2,000 feet by the end of this century. That would be devastating for farmers who depend on stored snowmelt for summer irrigation during the growing season. It would also be bad news for the Mt. Ashland Ski Area. Southern Oregon Climate Action Now organized the two-day conference, "Our Critical Climate: Trends, Impact and Solutions — A Rogue Basin Summit" to encourage regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to help local communities prepare for the consequences of climate change. Mote said efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are starting to show results in Oregon and across the country. It might seem futile to reduce emissions on a local basis to combat a global problem, but many small steps add up to big ones. One hot year does not signal that climate change is upon us. The trends, however, are unmistakable and a warning we ignore at our own peril and that of our children's children. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501