This year may turn out to be the warmest on record in parts of Missouri, a continuation of a trend of warmer weather that is having an impact on flowers, plants and agricultural crops.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jayson Gosselin says that 2012 through Nov. 24 is the warmest year on record in both St. Louis and Columbia, Mo., compared to other years through the same date. St. Louis records date back to 1874 and Columbia weather records date to 1890.
In fact, five of the 10 warmest years on record in St. Louis have occurred since 2005.
Brad Rippey of the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the warm-up is part of a trend that is also seeing more weather extremes, making farming more difficult.
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