This fall is likely to be warmer and drier than usual in Colorado, and this might be part of a larger trend.
A recent Climate Central analysis used over five decades of temperature data for 242 cities across the country. The results? 97% of them have experienced fall warming since 1970.
While Fort Collins was not included in the analysis, Denver saw an increase of 3.4 degrees Fahrenheit, which is above the nationwide average of 2.4 degrees.
Colorado Springs had an increase of 4.5 degrees while the Grand Junction area had an increase of 0.6 degrees.
“A warmer fall season means that the risky heat, high cooling demand, wildfires, and allergies of summer linger later into the year — affecting health, ecosystems, and the economy,” the report says.
Fall warming is happening across the country, but the regions experiencing the biggest increases are the Southwest and Northern Rockies and Plains, according to the analysis.
These are the top warming locations:
- Reno, Nevada (7.7°F)
- El Paso, Texas (6.1°F)
- Las Vegas, Nevada (6.1°F)
- Tucson, Arizona (5.6°F)
- Phoenix, Arizona (5.4°F)