Aug 18, 2022 - News

"Extreme Heat Belt" will soon hit parts of Minnesota, study warns

Note: Shaded counties are those that will, on average, have 0.5 days or more at or above a 125F° heat index in 2053; Data: First Street Foundation; Map: Axios Visuals

Parts of Minnesota could see heat indexes hit 125°F at least one day a year by 2053, a new study warns.

The big picture: In just 30 years, climate change will cause the Lower 48 states to be a far hotter and more precarious place to be during the summer, Axios Generate co-author Andrew Freedman writes.

  • The findings come from a hyperlocal analysis of current and future extreme heat events published Monday by the nonprofit First Street Foundation.

Zoom in: Blue Earth and Dodge counties are the only two in Minnesota projected to hit those highs in the foundation's model.

Zoom out: The states likely to see the greatest growth in dangerous days per the analysis are Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri and Florida.

The bottom line: As average temperatures rise due to human-driven greenhouse gas emissions, including the burning of fossil fuels for energy, the number of days at risk of hitting dangerous heat levels is forecast to increase.

Keep reading for our interactive map...

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