Georgia, Southeast among the most at-risk from climate change, report finds

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Atlanta now sees around eight more extreme heat days that it did 1961, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which oversaw the assessment. The city's "heat wave season" has also lengthened by more than 80 days.

And while scientists have long known that emissions of greenhouse gases are increasing the intensity and frequency of heat waves, the report finds the Southeast is among the most vulnerable regions to these events.

Underlying health issues like diabetes and heart disease are known to increase vulnerability to heat illness, and the assessment notes Southerners consistently rank among the most unhealthy in the country, with shorter-than-average life expectancies. The Southeast is also home to more Black residents than any other region of the country who "shoulder a disproportionate level of health risk associated with climate change."

While the region has not seen a jump in days over 95 degrees like other parts of the country, it has seen an increase in nighttime temperatures. On average, the Southeast now sees almost eight more days with overnight temperatures above 70 degrees than it did between 1901 and 1960, the report found.

High overnight temperatures rob the body of the cooling-off period it needs to stay safe during the day, with those living in poorly insulated homes or unhoused facing the greatest risk. Adding to the problem in heavily paved cities like Atlanta are urban heat islands, which can be as much as 12 degrees warmer than surrounding areas in a heat wave, the authors write.

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