With summer coming to an end, the hot temperatures don’t seem ready to leave just yet. Recently, Champaign and surrounding areas have been experiencing above-average September temperatures.
As the season continues, Champaign is losing nearly three minutes of daylight each day. Even with that, there are still well-above-normal temperatures that are in the upper 80s to low 90s. Average temperatures for September usually range from the upper 70s to the low 80s, so it’s almost a 10-degree difference.
Ryan L. Sriver, a professor and researcher of atmospheric sciences here at the University, explained how these above-average temperatures are slowly becoming a norm for this month as global temperatures are increasing over time.
“Overall, we are getting warmer temps year after year due to the long-term global warming effect,” Sriver said. “If we are looking at this month’s average temperatures in the short term, it depends on year-to-year variability and natural fluctuations as some years could have average temps while others are above/below.”
Sriver added that while monthly temperatures can fluctuate year over year, temperatures over time are higher than in the past.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
“Over a long term, we are seeing average temps increasing and more record highs compared to record lows which is a big indicator that the averages are increasing,” Sriver said.
Sriver also noted the concerns of these changes, and how it’s something to keep in mind since there are more abnormal weather events occurring.
“These extremes are increasing faster than we anticipated and this tends to be a major risk factor for climate change impacts going forward,” Sriver said.
Champaign temperatures are expected to fall back down to the 70s by next week, just in time for the first week of the autumnal equinox. However, typical fall weather isn’t set to arrive until October, so it’s not quite sweater weather for another month.
