Ahead of the 4th of July, we asked ISeeChangers to tell us how climate change is affecting their summer outdoors time. Here’s what the community shared:

Extreme heat putting backpacking plans into question:

This week has been extremely hot here in central NJ. We are able to do less outside when it is this hot. We have waited until after 5 pm to spend time in the backyard. We are planning to go backpacking on July 4th. Hopefully it will not be too overwhelmingly hot.

— Janice McDonnell

Edible gardens out of sync with normal ripening times

My husband and I live in SW Utah, the desert part of the state. We have an apricot tree in the backyard with apricots that “normally” ripen about July 1. This year, the ripened 3 weeks earlier.

— Kathy Roos

Having to wait for heavy rain to end to go to outdoor places like botanical gardens

Yesterday in the morning it was finally dry after a few days of continuous rain, but at around 2:30PM it started drizzling again. This morning was sunny and dry, and so far there’s been no rain the whole day, though it is cloudy again.
At Heritage Museums and Gardens there are so many beautiful flowers blooming. Lots of blue and pink hydrangea and many colors of lilies. I’ve seen many tiger lilies all around recently.

— Nora Chan

Fireworks banned because of drought and fire risk

Mild weather today. Probably will be foggy tonight and hard to see fireworks, although we will hear them. Hoping for no fires.

— Lauren McNulty

Missing butterflies and moths

We have seen almost no butterflies and few moths this year. 18 years ago, we had a yard full of monarchs, tiger swallowtails, and other butterflies with a myriad variety of moths. The numbers have declined over the years, but this year, almost nothing in spite of having a pollinator friendly yard (lots of common milkweed and other pollinator friendly plants). Have also seen a decline in ground dwelling bees. Worrisome. We miss our flying friends.

— Dennis Caldwell

Lightning storms keeping people indoors over the holiday

Lightening and rain on 4th of July!

— The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast

How have extreme heat, drought, and/or storms affected your summer recreation? Tell us by posting a new ISeeChange sighting!

Cover photo by EaglebrookSchool on Flickr.