Cozy season is right around the corner and this year, it's going to be a bit warmer than usual. In fact, a new analysis finds fall is getting warmer in basically every location across the continental United States.
According to Climate Central, fall has warmed in 234 U.S. cities — by 2.5°F on average since 1970.
"Unusually warm fall days now happen more often in 233 cities. And 97 cities now experience at least two more weeks worth of above-normal fall days than in 1970," Climate Central noted in its 2024 Fall Package.
For the report, Climate Central analyzed the last 54 years (1970–2023) of fall (September, October, November) temperature data in 242 cities. The data shows that temperatures have increased in 97% of the locations analyzed, and more than one-third (84) of those locations warmed by 3°F or more since 1970.
While temperatures have been rising across the board, the report found the Southwest (+3.8°), Northern Rockies and Plains (+3.1°), and Upper Midwest (+2.8°) regions have experienced the most fall warming since 1970.
Reno, Nevada saw the biggest change at 7.7°F, followed by El Paso, Texas (+6.1°); Las Vegas, Nevada (+6.1°); Tucson, Arizona (+5.6°); and Phoenix, Arizona (+5.4°) rounding out the top five fall warming locations.
The warmer temperatures have cause more hotter-than-normal fall days in 96% of the cities analyzed.
"Eight in every 10 locations analyzed (192, or 80%) now experience at least one more week worth of warmer-than-normal fall days than they did in 1970," the report noted. "Some 97 cities now experience at least two more weeks worth of above-normal fall days than in 1970. And 10 locations now experience 30 or more fall days above normal than in 1970. These top locations were in Nevada, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, and California."
While some people might not mind warmer temperatures as fall sets in, lingering summer heat can cause a host of issues.
"A warmer fall season means that the risky heat, high cooling demand, wildfires, and allergies of summer linger later into the year — affecting health, ecosystems, and the economy," Climate Central said.
And this year is no exception. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting that temperatures will be much warmer than average for September for most of the country.
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, above-average temperatures are expected across most of the western and central parts of the nation, along the Gulf Coast and in New England. Below-average temperatures are favored in the Mid-Atlantic, with "equal chances" for locations in between.