1.Dramatically changing climates
Changes in average summer heat index, combining temperature and humidity, will strongly alter how summer feels in the Northeast.
These migrations use projected average daily summer temperature (the average of daytime highs and nighttime lows) combined with relative humidity, and averaged over June, July, and August. However, weather conditions during the hottest month (July) and the warmest part of the day (late afternoon) feel much warmer than average conditions.
While both pathways show an acceleration of the warming already under way, higher and lower emissions lead to starkly different climate futures. The emission choices we make today can make a difference for our quality of life and the character of our region.
2.Rising Temperatures
The Northeast is already experiencing rising temperatures consistent with global warming, and dramatic warming is expected later this century. Just how high temperatures rise depends on our heat-trapping emissions.
The thermometers below show projected increases in regional average annual temperatures for three time periods: early, mid-, and late twenty-first century. Temperature ranges for each emission scenario represent results from three different climate models.
CHANGES IN AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE
3,Extreme heats
More than 27 million people live in the bustling metropolitan areas of the Northeast (including Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia), and everyone feels the heat when summer temperatures soar into the 90s. The number of days over 90°F is projected to increase until, by the end of the century, some cities could experience nearly an entire summer with temperatures greater than 90°F under a higher-emission scenario. These projections also show a dramatic increase in the currently few but blisteringly hot days over 100°F.
To see city-specific projections of extreme summer heat, click on one of the seven major Northeast cities listed to the right.
Reducing our heat-trapping emissions today and in the near term will help cut dangerously hot days significantly. Be sure to compare the striking difference between higher- and lower-emission pathways, which you'll find in the inset boxes accompanying each city-specific projection.
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