Jul 22, 2024 - News
Charted: Heat waves are getting longer
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Heat waves in the U.S. are getting longer.
Why it matters: Nasty weather is happening more often for longer periods of time because of human-caused climate change, and it's only going to get worse.
The big picture: Updated EPA info, part of a wider new report on climate metrics, shows heat trends in the 50 largest U.S. metro areas.
- Heat waves are becoming longer, more frequent and more intense.
How it works: The EPA tracked events of two or more consecutive days when daily, humidity-adjusted temps topped the 85th percentile of historical July-August temps in 1981-2010.