It finally feels like summer in Northeast Ohio
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Peak outdoor season is finally set to begin following weeks of spring weather that felt more like fall.
Why it matters: Hotter summers are one of the most tangible ways we experience climate change, and Northeast Ohio is about to heat up this week.
- Higher temperatures can pose health risks for vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, the elderly and homeless people.
Driving the news: Cleveland temperatures will near or rise above 80°F this week and could reach 90° for the first time this year.
- This summer has a 33% chance of being hotter than average in most of Ohio, according to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center.
The big picture: Average summer temperatures between 1970 and 2024 rose in 97% of the 242 cities analyzed in a new report from Climate Central, a climate research group.
- Among those cities, summers are now 2.6°F hotter on average.
Zoom in: Cuyahoga County has seen average summer temperatures rise 2.9°F since 1970.
- That figure is even higher in other Northeast Ohio counties like Summit (3.5°F), Stark (3.5°F) and Portage (3.2°F).
Zoom out: Be glad we're not in cities like Reno, Nevada (+11.3°F), Boise, Idaho (+6.3°F), and El Paso, Texas (+6.2°F), which have seen the greatest rise in average summer temperatures.
Stunning stat: Over 60% of the cities analyzed now have at least two more weeks' worth of hotter-than-normal summer days compared to 1970.
- That includes Cleveland with 17 more days.
Be smart: Cleveland Clinic offers several tips for preventing heat-related illness, including staying hydrated, avoiding alcohol and staying in air-conditioned buildings.
The city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County offer cooling centers during the hottest weeks of the year, typically in July and August.