Weather and Climate News

Longer Heat Streaks

The summer doldrums have set in for much of the U.S., but an end to the Dog Days of summer is within sight. The Dog Days traditionally extend from July 3 to August 11, when Sirius (aka the Dog Star) rises and sets with the sun. Ancient cultures believed that additional energy from Sirius helped make the summer days hotter, but in modern times, the

Extremely Hot Days on the Rise

Late July is the hottest time of year for much of the country. In the midst of this summer heat, we calculated the number of extremely hot days each year in 244 cities across the country and found that 73 percent experience more extremely hot days than they did a half-century ago.

2018 U.S. Temps: State Rankings Through June

Despite a cold April, 2018 is the 14th warmest year on record so far in the U.S. Halfway through the year, Arizona and New Mexico are record hot, and the remaining southwestern states are each having one of their 10 hottest years. In fact, the four hottest years in the U.S. have all come in the decade of the 2010s. July has been a scorcher from

2018 Global Heat So Far

Globally, the past four years have been the hottest four years on record, and 2018 so far is coming in as the 4th hottest. All-time record heat has peppered the Northern Hemisphere this summer. Here a few stats compiled by Weather Underground: Glasgow, Scotland had its hottest day on record, reaching 89°F on June 28. Montreal, Canada set a new

More Warm Nights Across the U.S.

Our study analyzed the number of nights each year when the temperature remained above 65°F (for cities that rarely experience nights above 65°F, we chose 55°F), which is an engineering temperature standard for keeping buildings cool. In our analysis of 244 cities across the U.S., we found that 87 percent are having more of these warm nights since

Cooling Demand is Increasing in the U.S.

CDDs do not actually measure days at all. Rather, they measure the number of degrees that the daily average temperature is above 65°F. So if the average temperature for a day is 80°F, there were 15 CDDs in that day. Some of the largest increases in CDDs are also seen in the Southwest, however CDDs are increasing sharply in places that traditionally

Summer Days Are Getting Hotter

The summer solstice occurs at 6:07 a.m. EDT on June 21, marking the beginning of astronomical summer in the northern hemisphere. Meteorological summer, which consists of the three hottest climatological months of the year, started on June 1. No matter how you look at summer, it is the season with the most obvious climate change impact — extreme

Golf courses are adapting to climate change

Climate Change on the Golf Course

Father’s Day and the U.S. Open are reminders that golf is a big economic driver. One trade study indicated that golf contributes more than $80 billion a year to the U.S. economy. And while golfers are infamous for playing in less-than-ideal conditions, extremes like heat, drought, and heavy rain that come with climate change are impacting the game

Global Conveyer Belt: Ocean Current Slowing

June 8 is World Oceans Day, a time to raise awareness about the importance of the oceans to our planet. Ocean currents and broader circulations move vast amounts of water around the world, redistributing heat and energy, and helping regulate the global climate. Wind-driven currents like the cold California Current and the warm Gulf Stream are

New Normal: Temperatures Are Trending Up Across U.S.

Normal temperatures, generally defined to be the 30-year average at a location, are trending up across most of the U.S. Since 1980, the average continental U.S. temperature has risen 1.4°F. In our analysis of normal temperatures in 244 cities across the country, 94 percent have risen, providing more evidence of the long-term warming trend on our

Cherry Blossoms in a Changing Climate

The blooming of the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin of Washington, D.C. is an annual rite of spring. During the period from 1981-2010, the average peak bloom date was April 1. This year, the National Park Service forecasts the blossoms to peak slightly earlier than average, between March 27-31. The warm February was the reason that both the

Projected Cherry Blossom Bloom Dates in a Warming World

While the climate continues to warm from the increase in greenhouse gases, the average date of the peak blooms will move even earlier in the year. One study, referenced by the NPS, was successfully used to forecast peak bloom dates retroactively from 1991-2010.