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Halloween is getting hotter. Researchers from the educational nonprofit Climate Central analyzed fall temperatures across the United States. They found that, on average, autumn temperatures have increased by nearly three degrees Fahrenheit since the 1970s. From member station Houston Public Media, Natalie Weber tells us more about what their findings mean for trick-or-treaters across the country.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Whoa. We got a princess and a dinosaur. All right (laughter).
NATALIE WEBER, BYLINE: On a warm Friday afternoon in early October, Eduardo and Mary Reyes are at a pumpkin patch with their two kids, 7-year-old Leonardo and 3-year-old Lorelei.
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WEBER: While other kids have opted for shorts and T-shirts in the nearly 90-degree weather, Lorelei is dressed as Elsa from the movie "Frozen," and Leonardo is in a velociraptor costume.
How are you feeling, like, temperature wise? Are you hot, or are you just right?
LEONARDO REYES: I'm just right.
WEBER: Mary Reyes grew up in Houston, so she didn't always have to wear a jacket when she dressed up for Halloween as a kid.
MARY REYES: I want to say if it was a costume with a long sleeve, we would be OK. If not, maybe, like, a little light jacket, a sweater.
WEBER: As for her kids...
REYES: Definitely no sweaters. We do try to shy away from the costumes that have the long sleeve. We just hope it's not too hot on Halloween Day.
WEBER: Reyes' experience reflects a pattern in the nation's weather. Fall temperatures have been getting hotter across the U.S. as summer-like weather lasts longer than it did about 50 years ago. Climate Central chief meteorologist Shel Winkley says in the northern U.S., summer temperatures are persisting through September. But in the South, this warmer weather can last into October.
To measure this, researchers at Climate Central look at wind cities are seeing their last day of warm temperatures. For example, in Atlanta, they look at the last day of weather above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For Anchorage, Alaska, researchers analyze the final day of temperatures above 60 degrees.
Winkley lives in Texas. Last year, he carved pumpkins with his kids on the weekend before Halloween.
SHEL WINKLEY: And it was so hot that before we actually got to Halloween day, the pumpkins were already rotted and, like, falling apart and shriveled because it was so hot outside.
WEBER: Bernadette Woods Placky is a meteorologist and executive director at the Talking Climate Collaborative, a new nonprofit organization focused on climate change. She says human-caused climate change is the leading cause of warming fall temperatures. But this year, the hotter weather is being exacerbated by El Nino. That's a naturally occurring climate pattern that happens every two to seven years and increases global temperatures.
BERNADETTE WOODS PLACKY: This year, we're seeing spikes in some areas on top of that overall warming because of El Nino and this being such a strong, record-breaking El Nino, giving that extra push of temperatures in our atmosphere.
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WEBER: At the pumpkin patch outside of Houston, Reyes says her family is looking forward to some relief from the summer temperatures.
REYES: We're really excited for Halloween, as we are every year, especially kind of getting over that, like, heat of the summer. We're looking forward to that fall weather. It's not always here during the month of October, but we're always hoping.
WEBER: For now, they're not letting the weather get in the way of enjoying their Halloween costumes. For NPR News, I'm Natalie Weber in Houston. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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