It's gotten hot in herrre — and it's not just your imagination.
A new interactive feature by the New York Times lets you compare how many days, on average, cities across the U.S. could expect to see temperatures of 90 degrees or more in the year you were born versus today. And the results for St. Louis confirm it really has gotten hotter.
A St. Louisan born 50 years ago, in 1968, would expect 31 days of 90-degree-plus heat. Today it's risen to 44 days — a 41 percent increase.
And a St. Louisan born 40 years ago, in 1978, could expect just 36 days of such heat. Today's 44 days reflect a 22 percent increase.
So next time some old-timer brags about how back in the day they didn't have air-conditioning, yet they were just fine, tell them to quit their yapping. Any old wuss could withstand high temps for 31 days.
Forty-four days, we'd argue from our air-conditioned couch, is a much different story.
We welcome tips and feedback. Email the author at [email protected]
© 2023 Riverfront Times
