As temperatures heat up this week, Granite Staters may be getting a taste of what this summer holds. A forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows it could be a hot one.
The federal agency predicts that there’s a 50 to 60% chance of New England having a hotter summer than usual.
Most of the U.S. is expected to see above-average temperatures over the summer. Those higher-than-usual temperatures are projected to continue through the end of 2023 and beyond, according to NOAA.
The predictions fit with what scientists say Granite Staters should expect as the climate changes. The state is getting warmer, and extreme heat is becoming more common.
The number of days each year with a heat index over 90 degrees has doubled since 1980, from 8 days to 15 days, according to state health officials.
The state’s latest climate assessment, from 2021, shows by the end of the century, New Hampshire could see up to 60 days above 90 degrees each year if the world continues to rely on fossil fuels.
