Bringing the heat: Expect increased summer temps, potential for stronger hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. — June 1 is the start of meteorological summer and the kick off of the Atlantic hurricane season – and trends show every summer temperatures getting hotter and hotter, bringing real-world impact and hurricanes that come further inland.

Although we have ups and downs each year, on the whole, our average temperatures during summer have been increasing.

This graphic shows the greatest areas of increase since 1970. The areas with the deepest red show the greatest increase in warming: The West coast, Southwest region and into Western Texas. That’s not great news for the wildfire situation we often see in those areas.

While those areas show the most heating, we have seen an increase at RDU, as well. Our average temperatures have risen about 4.2 degrees from the period of 1970 to 2022. Likewise, our days at ‘above normal’ temperatures have increased. We are averaging around 38 additional days of ‘above normal’ temperatures than we were in 1970.

From illnesses to insurance: Real-world impact of increasing temperatures

The temperature increase has real-world impacts, like effecting wildfires, heat-related illnesses and lower air quality.

The North Carolina Climate Science Report (NCCSR), led by the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, found that North Carolina has warmed by one degree Fahrenheit over the past 120 years. Experts believe the temperature in the area will continue to increase.

Experts don’t see anything to suggest the temperature increases will slow down.

Do warmer temperatures mean more risk from hurricanes?

While warmer days – and warmer air temperatures – don’t necessarily have a direct correlation with increased hurricane activity, the increased temperatures are leading to warmer waters, which could lead to greater hurricane frequency or even stronger hurricanes over the long-term.

In theory, this means the warmer summers could impact our hurricane season, especially given that there’s nothing to suggest the rising heat will eventually slow down.

Researchers say rising temperatures and warmer air molecules carry more water vapor, causing more potential rainfall and increasing the chance of inland flooding. This means danger zones are moving farther inland, putting more people in harm’s way during hurricanes.

The Earth naturally goes through cycles where temperatures fluctuate; however, we have seen increased human activity, infrastructure and CO2 emission – all of which can lead to an eventual rise in temperatures.