Nashville summers are getting progressively hotter
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Nashville summers are getting hotter.
- Average temperatures were 81.4°F in 2022, compared to 76.7°F in 1970, per a new analysis by climate research group Climate Central.
Why it matters: 2022 was Nashville's sixth-hottest summer on record and the data shows conditions are intensifying over time. Extreme heat is a serious health risk, leading to both immediate acute effects (such as exhaustion and heat stroke) as well as longer-term complications due to reduced air quality.
Zoom in: There were 3,009 documented heat-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits in Davidson County from 2010 to 2021, according to state data.
State of play: A heat-mapping project last summer identified parts of the city that get the hottest. City officials plan to use the data to guide upcoming projects.
- The report found temperatures around the city differed by 12.4°F in the morning and 8.2°F in the afternoon.
- Urban areas with lots of development and residential areas near busy streets and parking lots trapped more heat, while residential neighborhoods with more greenery and tree cover were cooler.
Between the lines: "Urban heat islands" tend to be more common in low-income neighborhoods, making them a key socioeconomic issue for cities to tackle.
What's happening: Nashville officials are working across several departments to address the effects of extreme heat.
- Metro Parks has a goal of adding 4,500 acres of park and greenway space (compared to 2016 levels) in the city by 2026.
- Metro Water Services is partnering with the Root Nashville campaign to grow the city's tree canopy by planting 500,000 trees by 2050.
- The Nashville Department of Transportation this year is testing a new asphalt sealcoat that seeks to reduce surface temperatures around city streets.
The big picture: Summer temperatures rose by 2.4°F on average across nearly 230 locations in that timeframe — 95% of the locations Climate Central analyzed, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Tory Lysik report.
The bottom line: "As carbon pollution traps more heat in Earth's atmosphere, the summer season is warming, summer temperatures are arriving earlier in the year, and risky heat extremes are becoming more frequent," per Climate Central.