The number of "mosquito days" — that is, those with the hot and humid weather the flying insects crave — has trended upward in Nashville over the past several decades.
A new analysis from nonprofit climate news organization Climate Central defines a "mosquito day" as one with an average relative humidity of 42% or higher, plus daily low and high temperatures of 50-95° F.
Why it matters: Mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance — they're a public health threat, carrying diseases like malaria, West Nile, Zika and more.
The big picture: Seventy-one percent of the 242 locations Climate Central analyzed saw an increase in mosquito days between 1979 and 2022, of about 16 days on average.