Summer nights heating up in Atlanta
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Summer evenings are getting warmer in Atlanta and across much of the U.S. amid climate change, a new analysis shows.
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 increased between 1970 and 2024 in 96% of 241 locations analyzed in a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group.
- Among cities with an increase, temperatures rose by 3.1°F on average.
Zoom in: That's lower than the average increase in Atlanta, which saw temperatures rise by 4°F.
- Excessive heat, along with stormwater flooding, are the most prominent effects of climate change in Atlanta.
Threat level: Along with cool roofs, trees are arguably Atlanta's biggest weapon in the fight against heat, and they can also help clean the air and prevent stormwater erosion.
- City programs to offer greater access to solar power and energy-efficient home upgrades could help residents offset rising energy costs.
Zoom out: 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.
Between the lines: Hundreds of U.S. cities are experiencing more frequent warmer-than-average summer nights "with a strong climate change fingerprint," Climate Central says.
- That's based on the group's "Climate Shift Index" — a method of measuring climate change's impact on local daily temperatures — and the 1991-2020 climate normals.
The bottom line: It isn't just daytime highs getting warmer in much of the U.S., but evening lows, too.