Kansas City will likely suffer 'off the charts' heat in the next 30 years, new study predicts

[FangKC]

Kansas City will likely suffer 'off the charts' heat in the next 30 years, new study predicts

A new study modeling heat across the United States shows Kansas City will be hit with extremely high heat index temperatures as the Midwest deals with the effects of climate change.

Kansas City is one of the top five metropolitan areas expected to experience heat index temperatures above 125 degrees in the coming decades, according to a new heat risk model. St. Louis is also on the list.
...
Missouri is also one of the states to see a dramatic increase in the number of dangerous days — days when the heat index will surpass 100 degrees.
...

https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-16/ka ... y-predicts

[daGOAT]

Is there anyway to prevent this from becoming reality?

[AlkaliAxel]

Will this basically end winters in KC as well?

[im2kull]

Is there anyway to prevent this from becoming reality?

Are you on a ball of rock hurtling through the vast unknown of space, constantly subjected to otherworldly forces that we have no control over?

[daGOAT]

I just hope this is a worse case scenario and can be altered. Let’s be honest 115 degrees is high but liveable with good a/c. 125 will require new technologies to combat the heat or KC will become unbearable.

[FangKC]

Better build a baseball stadium that can be enclosed and air-conditioned like in Phoenix. Otherwise, no one will be willing to sit outside to watch games. Planners should at least build it to be retrofitted under a worst-case scenario.

[beautyfromashes]

Of course, maybe we’ll have mild winters now and I can take an annual vacation in July and love Kansas Cities weather?

[KC1963]

This isn't just heat and higher AC bills, this is widespread loss of agriculture, access to water and death for many people (poor and elderly). Climate change and its effects are real. Look at lakes Mead and Powell, the Colorado river, the Rhine, the Po, etc. All suffering from heat and drought. 4 years ago we went to Spain and almost everything shown as lakes and rivers on maps and GPS were dried up, we saw the same in Italy in 2014. Here's a good overview of the situation.

https://youtu.be/1MZFrJPPIQ8

[AlkaliAxel]

Of course, maybe we’ll have mild winters now and I can take an annual vacation in July and love Kansas Cities weather?

Last winter was already the start. Remember how the first snow didn’t come till January and it was like 60s & 70s every day in Nov & December?

[Highlander]

Of course, maybe we’ll have mild winters now and I can take an annual vacation in July and love Kansas Cities weather?

Last winter was already the start. Remember how the first snow didn’t come till January and it was like 60s & 70s every day in Nov & December?

As a new resident who hasn't lived in KC since the 80's, the winter's definitely seem much milder now. I was able to cycle comfortably in light attire at least a couple of times a month (except for January, generally much more than a couple) this last winter.

https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cit ... /year-2022
https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cit ... /year-2021

[earthling]

Yeah when's the last time there was an ice storm, or power outages due to downed tree limbs from early Oct snow with leaves still on trees. Was fairly common last century in KC area.

[FangKC]

We also started having 90-degree weather in May, and a few days in the 80s in April.

We really need to step up the tree-planting along streets to create more canopy -- especially so there is shade over street pavement. That will help keep the asphalt and concrete from heating up so much, and being a sink releasing the heat at night causing night temperatures to remain high.

It takes 30 years for trees to be large enough to build a canopy.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

We also started having 90-degree weather in May, and a few days in the 80s in April.

We really need to step up the tree-planting along streets to create more canopy -- especially so there is shade over street pavement. That will help keep the asphalt and concrete from heating up so much, and being a sink releasing the heat at night causing night temperatures to remain high.

It takes 30 years for trees to be large enough to build a canopy.

So plant trees in the 90’s?

[FangKC]

No, to help reduce city temperatures in the future as the heat effect gets worse. I know we should have been doing it back then, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't correct that now.

[earthling]

^It won't take long for the thread to become politicized, already alluded to.

[Cratedigger]

We also started having 90-degree weather in May, and a few days in the 80s in April.

We really need to step up the tree-planting along streets to create more canopy -- especially so there is shade over street pavement. That will help keep the asphalt and concrete from heating up so much, and being a sink releasing the heat at night causing night temperatures to remain high.

It takes 30 years for trees to be large enough to build a canopy.

Downtown needs more trees. Hope that some of the medians and protected bike lane barriers can eventually provide a venue

[Anthony_Hugo98]

^It won't take long for the thread to become politicized, already alluded to.

Wasn’t a political jab, more-so a joke off the end of the previous comment talking about 30 yr timeline for full canopy growth, as downtown streets are already sweltering in full summer sun, and trees planted 30 years ago would be GREATLY appreciated today!

[moderne]

Will probably need to planting different species/varieties of trees as what we have will die off due to heat and insufficient rain. Even if total rainfall remains same, it will not go as far due to increased evaporation. Dallas and KC have similar annual rainfall amounts, but with more warmth, Dallas does not support the tall lush trees we see here.

[AlkaliAxel]

This seems like fear porn

I think this coming winter is gonna be very telling.

Last winter was the 4th warmest in KC history, and for sure the warmest I've ever felt. First snowfall wasn't till January. If that repeats itself again (or worse) then I'd say yeah it's headed in that direction permanently and Nov. & Dec. will be pretty normal months.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

This seems like fear porn

I think this coming winter is gonna be very telling.

Last winter was the 4th warmest in KC history, and for sure the warmest I've ever felt. First snowfall wasn't till January. If that repeats itself again (or worse) then I'd say yeah it's headed in that direction permanently and Nov. & Dec. will be pretty normal months.

Farmers almanac is calling for an awfully rough winter for us, so we’ll see