If you’re a fan of summer and hot weather in general, this news might not bother you too much. But from a climate change perspective, an earlier than usual summer is cause for concern.
A number of cities in the U.S. could experience an earlier than expected summer.
Here’s what to know.
There Could Be Serious Consequences
According to an article published by Stacker, summer is starting earlier in 100 cities. The publication wrote, “the number of 90-degree (or higher) days the United States experiences annually may double by 2050, with cities across the United States warming at different rates depending on where they’re located.”
If you think an earlier summer means you can go to the beach earlier, proceed with caution. Stacker noted that there are several catastrophic consequences which are linked to steadily rising temperatures. They include “floods, coastal erosion and drought, depending on the region in question.”
Some of the U.S. cities that may experience an early summer include: Roanoke (Virginia), Evansville (Indiana), Sacramento (California), Kansas City (Missouri) and Colorado Springs (Colorado).
Cities in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Alaska, Michigan, Alabama and Oklahoma also made the list.
The U.S. Is Already Experiencing Record High Temperatures In Advance of Summer
Summer has yet to start, but heat waves are already a problem in parts of the U.S.
ABC News reported, “millions of people on the West Coast are facing a continuation of intense early-season heat for multiple days. These temperatures are coming well in advance – more than a month – ahead of when they usually start creeping up.”
Climate Central explained that not only is extreme heat a direct result of human-caused climate change, it poses a serious health risk, especially to more vulnerable populations.
Travel Could Also Be Impacted
If this summer travel season is like recent years, the travel industry will feel the wrath of high temperatures.
Last summer, the United Kingdom was battered by high temperatures that aren’t typical for that part of the world. The heat sparked wildfires across London and elsewhere, and the fire brigades found themselves in over their heads. At some British airports, the runaway tarmac melted, causing delays. Unlike the U.S., air conditioning isn’t so common, which only exacerbated the issue.
It wasn’t just Britain who suffered from the heat. The BBC reported, “deadly wildfires in France, Portugal, Spain and Greece forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.”
Will this summer bring more of the same for Europe and the U.S.? Time will tell.