Research shows 41 US states are getting warmer, all in slightly different ways
Different regions of the United States are experiencing different patterns of warming climate, requiring region-specific adaptation, according to a study published in PLOS Climate by María Dolores Gadea Rivas of the University of Zaragoza, Spain and Jesús Gonzalo of University Carlos III, Spain.
Climate change is a global issue, but the effects can vary regionally, requiring targeted local mitigation strategies and climate policy decisions. This variability is rarely examined in detail, in contrast to other policy-relevant issues like public health and economic status. In this study, the authors provide a framework for comparing detailed temperature trends across the contiguous 48 United States.
The team compiled a dataset of average temperatures between 1950 and 2021, combined with over 26,000 daily temperature observations per state to assess the full range of local temperatures.
Consistent with previous research, the results show that only 27 states (55%) show an increase in average temperatures, but 41 states (84%) show an increase in at least one part of their temperature range. For example, West Coast states have experienced increases in their highest annual temperatures, while many northern states have experienced increases in the lower range of temperatures.
These regional differences are likely to have varying impacts on factors such as agriculture and public health, as well as public perception and commitment to climate action, all of which are highly relevant to local policy decisions. This same analytical method could also be applied in future studies to other variable climate impacts such as changes in precipitation and sea level rise.
The authors summarize, "Looking beyond average temperatures, we show that most U.S. states are warming in specific parts of the temperature distribution, even when average warming is not statistically significant. This reveals strong regional inequalities in how climate change is experienced across the United States."