Jul 29, 2024 - Climate

Metro Atlanta heat waves are becoming longer and more frequent

Wilborn P. Nobles III

Two line charts show U.S. heat waves by decade from the 1960s to 2023. The average number of heat waves has increased steadily from 2.2 annually in the 1960s to 6.3 in the 2020s. The average duration of heat waves has also increased, from 3 days in the 60s to 4.3 today. — Data: EPA; Note: Includes 50 most populated metros; New York City, Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Denver were excluded for incomplete data in this period; Chart: Axios Visuals

Heat waves in metro Atlanta now last two days longer than they did in the 1960s, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Why it matters: Prolonged heat can cause illnesses and death, and put a strain on power grids.

Zoom in: In Atlanta, the number of heat waves has increased by six per year compared to the 1960s.

Bar chart showing change in the average length of heat waves in 50 major U.S. metro areas from 1961 to 2023. Overall, heat waves in big cities are getting 1.4 days longer, with the greatest increases in New Orleans (4.5 days longer), followed by Fort Worth, Texas (4 days) and Salt Lake City (3.7 days). In Atlanta, heat waves have gotten 2.1 days longer. — Data: EPA; Note: New York City, Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Denver are excluded for incomplete data in this period; Chart: Axios Visuals

How it works: The EPA analyzed climate trends in the 50 largest U.S. metro areas by tracking events of two or more consecutive days when daily, humidity-adjusted temps topped the 85th percentile of historical July–August temps in 1981–2010.

The big picture: Heat waves nationwide are becoming longer, more frequent and more intense. The average number of heat waves has increased from two per year in the 1960s to six per year in this decade.

And they last about a day longer now than they did in the 1960s.

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Metro Atlanta heat waves are becoming longer and more frequent

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