Climate change in Pennsylvania

Köppen climate types in Pennsylvania, showing that the climate of the state is a primarily warm summer humid-continental in the north and primarily humid subtropical with patches of oceanic in the south.

Climate change in Pennsylvania encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

In 2021, Pennsylvania experienced areas of extreme flooding due to Hurricane Ida, which was noted as having characteristics that are probably more common in a warmer climate: the intensity, the rapid intensification, and the amount of rainfall over land.[1]

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that Pennsylvania has warmed more than half a degree (F) in the last century, heavy rainstorms are more frequent, and the tidal portion of the Delaware River is rising about one inch every eight years.[2] In the coming decades, changing the climate is likely to increase flooding, harm ecosystems, disrupt farming, and increase some risks to human health.

  1. ^ Gibbens, Sarah (August 31, 2021). "How climate change is fueling hurricanes like Ida". National Geographic. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "What Climate Change Means for Pennsylvania" (PDF). United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA.gov. Retrieved 3 September 2021.