Cities with fastest rising summer temperatures
Summers in American cities have been getting hotter over the last 50 years, with the nation's West, Southwest and Northwest particularly affected by warming climate. As many as 229 of 247 studied U.S. locations have seen average summer temperatures rise by 2.4F, per research by , which looked at data between 1970 band 2022. The study found that average temperature increases are highest in Reno, Nevada (+11.1F); Boise, (+5.8F); , Nevada (+5.8F); Salt Lake City, Utah (+5.5F); and El Paso, Texas (+5.3F). The next cities were the fastest heat increases are Helena, Montana (+5.2F), Odessa, Texas (+5F), Medford, Oregon (+4.9F), Las Cruces, New (+4.9F) and McAllen, Texas (+4.7F). 'As carbon pollution traps more heat in Earth's atmosphere, the summer season is warming, summer temperatures are arriving earlier in the year, and risky heat extremes are becoming more frequent,' according to Climate Central. More than half of all locations analyzed (58%) now experience at least two more weeks of above-normal summer days than in 1970. Additionally, 40 locations are now getting as many as 30 or more summer days above normal temperature including Nevada, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Miami records 41 more warm summer days above average, Phoenix 34 and New Orleans 45. Out of the cities studies, several have seen summers become slightly cooler, including Cedar Rapids, Iowa (-0.6F), Great Falls, Montana (-0.7F), Idaho Falls, Idaho (-0.3F) and Los Angeles, California (-0.7F). This year, summer arrived early across the northwestern U.S. and western Canada, which saw a record-breaking heatwave last month - before the official start of summer on June 1. The analysis by Climate Central notes that frequent extreme heat is not only an indicator of climate change, but it's one of the most serious health risks in warming climate. Warmer summer temperatures can cause heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and fatal medical emergencies such as heat stroke. In fact, excessive heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. Extreme heat also worsens air quality, which can have long-term effects and exacerbate respiratory health issues like asthma. Children, adults over 65, pregnant women and those with preexisting conditions are specially vulnerable to heat-related illness.