08/22/2024

Where Mosquito Season is Getting Longer

Yes, Ohioans, you aren't imagining them

As global temperatures rise due to climate change, mosquito season has lengthened across much of the contiguous United States, a development that scientists warn could heighten the risk of outbreaks of diseases such as dengue and malaria, and the spread of West Nile and Zika viruses.

Over the past four decades, more than two-thirds of the country has seen an increase in "mosquito days" — defined as days with an average humidity of at least 42 percent and temperatures between 50 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 35 degrees Celsius).

The Northeast, which has warmed faster than the rest of the country, experienced the biggest increase in mosquito days. In Vermont, for instance, the past five years have averaged 17 more mosquito days compared with the period from 1980 to 2009.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.