Think we’ll broil during the upcoming summer days in Florida? Look ahead, because by 2050, some places in Florida may see 70 hot days annually, a University of Florida scientist says.
In a newly published study, researchers found an increasing number of hot days over the past 60 years across Florida and predict more such days in the future.
Scientists define “hot days” as 91 degrees or warmer. While 91 degrees may seem like a typical summer day in Florida, the sheer number of hot days adds up to severe problems for many people.
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“Instead of just a few hot days spread out over the summer, we are starting to see longer stretches of extreme heat,” said Golmar Golmohammadi, who led the study.
“This can have serious effects on people’s health, the environment and the economy. High temperatures can make it dangerous for people to work outside. Hot weather can also increase energy use as more people rely on air conditioning, and the hot days can reduce the amount of food farmers can grow,” said Golmohammadi, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of soil, water, and ecosystem sciences at the UF/IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center.
The new study provides more evidence that little by little, Florida is getting warmer, and it’s partly due to climate change.
“These findings indicate that a large part of Florida will likely see a significant increase in the number of hot summer days in the future,” Golmohammadi said. “Therefore, it is important to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change to prevent the serious impacts of this trend.”
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In the study, Golmohammadi and her team tracked data from 28 weather stations across the state – from Pensacola to Key West. The stations were chosen from the Florida Climate Center. Most of them reported data from 1959 to 2022. Others had temperatures from the 1960s to 2022.
Researchers found that over the past 60 years, Florida has experienced about 2 ½ more hot days per decade. That means, for example, that in 100 years, we can expect 25 more hot days per year.
Scientists also made a few predictions based on an algorithm. Their most severe forecast calls for one more hot day per year.
Additionally, it’s not equally hot across Florida, researchers found. Some areas, especially parts of central and northern Florida, are seeing more hot days than other areas of the state.
Temperature increases are more pronounced in some urban areas compared to rural regions, which may be due to the expansion of the urban heat island effect, Golmohammadi said.
“This phenomenon causes cities to retain heat for longer periods due to concrete structures and asphalt surfaces,” Golmohammadi said.
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