JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It feels like slow and steady wins the race when we’re talking about our temperatures cooling down every fall — especially in Florida when it feels like our heat lingers every year.
We are a little over a week away from the Autumnal Equinox, the official start of fall, next Wednesday.
Climate Central analyzed 61 years of fall temperature data in 246 U.S. locations and found that roughly 95% (234 out of 246) cities have warmed since 1970 during fall.
In Jacksonville, the average fall temperatures have warmed by 1.4° since 1970. The study shows that 7.1 of our fall days are above average.
Locations out west like Texas and the Southwest Region are warming the fastest.
The five greatest increases are seen in Reno, Nevada (7.6°F), Las Vegas (6°F), El Paso, Texas (5.6°F), Tucson, Arizona. (5.4°F), and Phoenix (5.3°F).
Warming seems to be the new normal. When comparing our current warming situation to the 20th-century averages, the latest period from 1991-2020 shows Jacksonville warming over 1°.
The big question: What are some of the impacts from this fall warming?
Warmer fall temperatures raise public health risks such as heat-related illness, mosquito-borne disease, pollen allergies, longer wildfire season and worsening air pollution.
On top of that, a warmer fall season also negatively impacts the timing of natural events like bird migrations, hibernation and fruit ripening.