Warm Autumn Afternoons May Be Cozy and Comforting, But They’re Also Concerning

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people walking a trail
Image via Amy Humphries at Unsplash.
Autumn temperatures have been trending upward over the past 50 years.

Warm autumn afternoons, requiring only a light jacket for a scenic walk to enjoy the golden foliage, are vastly appealing in the Philadelphia suburbs.

But as much as they give locals a sense of serenity, they’re also cause for concern from a climate change perspective. Taylor Allen and Mike D’Onofrio covered the implications for AXIOS.

A 2020 report by nonprofit news organization Climate Central analyzed 246 U.S. cities. The vast majority of them recorded more warm days in September-November than was the case 50 years ago.

Fifty-seven percent of the analyzed cities were warmer by at least two degrees, while 68 percent recorded at least seven days of higher-than-average fall temperatures.

Last year, Philadelphia had 15.3 more days with above-normal temperatures than in 1970. The City of Brotherly Love was also warmer by close to three degrees over that period.

That rise has had effects both good and bad for our region, according to The Washington Post. Those effects range from somewhat benign (later seasonal changing of leaf colors) to downright threatening (more active hurricane seasons).

The warmer weather can also lead to additional cooling costs and longer allergy seasons.

Read more about the area’s warmer autumn season at AXIOS.

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