Cleveland's mosquito days are buzzing in the wrong direction
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Cleveland is buzzing with mosquitos.
Driving the news: The number of "mosquito days" — those with the hot, humid weather the insects thrive in — has risen in Cleveland over the past several decades, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
- A new analysis from nonprofit climate news organization Climate Central, defines a "mosquito day" as one with average relative humidity of 42% or higher, plus daily high temperatures of 50-95° F.
Why it matters: Mosquitoes carry diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, Zika and more.
By the numbers: Cleveland had 149 mosquito days in 2022, compared with 123 in 1979 — a 26-day increase.
Meanwhile, last week the Ohio Environmental Protective Agency awarded $816,000 in grants to 41 counties, including Cuyahoga, for mosquito control.
- During the past seven years, the Ohio EPA and Department of Health have awarded $7.5 million to communities across the state for mosquito control.
The big picture: 71% of the 173 nationwide locations Climate Central analyzed saw an increase in mosquito days from 1979 to 2022 — about 16 days on average.
Of note: Other factors, such as rainfall and drought, can also influence mosquito activity.
- They breed in pools of standing water, common after major storms.
The bottom line: Mosquitos — and the diseases they sometimes carry — are shaping up as one more climate change-induced problem to worry about.
Go deeper: Think you're sweet? Mosquitoes don't.