Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana will be Part of New Extreme Heat Belt in the U.S.
If you think it can get hot during the summertime in the Tri-State now, it's going to get much worse.
We all have those days here in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky where we complain about how hot and humid it is outside during the summer. Honestly, I would rather it be hot than cold...but not miserably hot. We have a few of those extremely hot days here in the Tri-State, and it looks like we are going to get a lot more of them.
New Heat Belt Coming to the United States
According to a new report by the First Street Foundation, a nonprofit risk mitigation research group, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky will be a part of an “extreme heat belt” in the next 30 years. “Extreme heat” means that the heat index will be over 125 degrees. Right now, we don't see temperatures like that on a regular basis, but by 2053, we will. Looking at the map provided by the First Street Foundation, this new heat belt will cover all of Illinois, most of Indiana, and western Kentucky.
According to WIFI.org:
“This extreme heat belt, because of its lack of proximity to water, allows the temperatures to get much hotter — and the humidity that we expect to happen into the future because of climate change is adding to that," said Matthew Eby, founder and CEO of First Street Foundation.
Problems Caused by the Heat
While the heat will be uncomfortable for us, that is only the beginning of our problems. The report says that because states like Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky aren't used to excessive extreme heat like that, we may not have enough air conditioners or cooling centers to keep people safe. According to WHAS 11:
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.
Not only that, but temperatures as high as 125 degrees can damage infrastructures like roadways, railroad tracks, and more. While this new "heat belt" is 30 years away, it might be best for Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky to start planning ahead by adjusting our energy sources and other necessary steps to prepare us for the heat. Otherwise, we might be in a world of trouble!