INDIANAPOLIS —
Indiana will be part of a new “extreme heat belt” coming to the United States.
The belt, stretching from Texas and Mississippi north to Indiana, will have the highest risk of extreme heat in the country.
“Extreme heat” means heat indices over 125 degrees. Right now, none of Indiana’s 92 counties see temperatures like that regularly. By 2053, almost all of them will.
This is according to the sixth annual National Risk Assessment for Extreme Heat by the First Street Foundation. They looked at how climate change is set to make things hotter across the country. Everyone in the United States will face difficulties from our changing climate. It just so happens that Hoosiers may face some of the highest costs.
The report focused on the “feels like temperature” or heat index – the combination of heat and humidity. That’s important because humidity can push heat into a dangerous territory.
The National Weather Service will issue a heat advisory when temperatures are expected to be 100 degrees or more for two or more days.
Right now, Indianapolis averages seven days that qualify. By 2053, that number will be 22 days.
We will have 65 days of temperatures over 90 degrees.
All that heat is expected to be expensive. The report estimates that Hoosiers will spend an extra $69.9 million dollars paying for air conditioning to keep things bearable indoors. That’s 18% more than we pay now.
