Record-Breaking Heat Threatens Midwest as Summery Temperatures Arrive in October
Unseasonably warm weather is poised to shatter daily temperature records across the Midwest Friday and into the weekend, potentially impacting cities including Minneapolis, bismarck, North Dakota, Rapid City, South Dakota, Madison, Wisconsin, and Moline, Illinois. The surge in temperatures comes as heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change, with extreme heat events expected to last longer as the planet warms.
The unusual October warmth is especially striking for a region unaccustomed to such conditions. Minneapolis-St. paul, for example, has only reached or exceeded 90 degrees in October three times as record-keeping began in 1872, according to the National Weather Service. This week’s heat is being driven by a persistent ridge of high pressure stalled over the Plains and Midwest, trapping hot air and causing temperatures to climb for an extended period.
The National Weather Service reports that this pattern can lead to days of sustained high temperatures. Studies show that heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change, and are expected to last longer as global temperatures rise.
