You’re not imagining it: Your summer evening porch hangs are getting hotter — and it’s not just because of this week’s heat dome.
Why it matters: Higher overnight temperatures can have health consequences for vulnerable groups, as well as increase demand for air conditioning.
- That, in turn, can strain electrical grids and increase energy demand, fueling a vicious cycle with more greenhouse gas emissions.
Driving the news: Average summer nighttime temperatures in Richmond increased by a whopping 3.7°F between 1970 and 2024, according to a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group.
- Nationwide, average summer temperatures at night increased in 96% of the 241 locations analyzed by Climate Central.
- Among cities with an increase, temperatures rose by 3.1°F on average.
- Reno, Nevada (+17.7°F), Las Vegas (+10°F), El Paso, Texas (+8.9°F) and Salt Lake City (+8.2°F) saw the biggest increases.
The bottom line: It isn’t just daytime highs getting warmer in much of the U.S., but evening lows, too…