Average summer temperatures have increased in hundreds of locations across the U.S. since 1970, according to Climate Central, a nonprofit that reports on the impacts of climate change.
And Reno is leading the list with an increase of 11.1°F, followed by Boise (5.8°F) and Las Vegas (5.8°F).
According to Climate Central, Reno now experiences 66 more summer days above normal compared to 1970.
Besides climate change, there are other factors that might be contributing to a dramatic increase in Reno’s average summer temperatures, said meteorologist Lauren Casey. One is population growth.
“With more people comes the need for the expansion of the built environment to support this growth,” Casey said. “When you expand the built environment, you’re exacerbating the urban heat island effect. You’re taking grass and turning it over to impervious surfaces or soil and turning it over to roads and sidewalks.”
It is likely that Reno will continue to have unusually hot summers, Casey said.
“I can’t imagine any kind of backward movement, especially as we continue to emit carbon into the atmosphere,” she said.
Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related fatalities each year across the U.S. Heat illnesses especially affect low-income communities.
Extreme heat also increases the demand for cooling, which can push households to energy vulnerability, Casey said.