The frequency and intensity of heat waves is expected to increase across the Midwest by the middle of the century (2036-2065).

Submitted by sdhandler on

Daily extreme temperatures are projected to increase substantially across the Midwest, particularly under a higher climate scenario (RCP 8.5). For example, the hottest day of the year is expected to be about 6.7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer by the middle of the century (2036-2065), according to an average of 32 climate models under scenario RCP 8.5. The Midwest is also expected to experience 5 to 40 more days above 90 degrees Fahrenheit by the middle of the century. The smallest increases of 5 days per year is expected in areas with a currently low number of 90-degree days, including the northern parts of states bordering Canada, where the general increase in temperature in not large enough to substantially increse the occurences of such warm days. The largest increase in the number of 90-degree days per year is expected in the southern portion of the Midwest, where these kinds of hot days are already common.