Climate Matters: Missouri summers will look different in the future

Future summers in Missouri will feel more like those near the southern U.S. border if the climate continues to warm through the rest of the century.

A report from Climate Central illustrates the impacts of climate change by comparing projected future temperatures to those of cities that currently face similar conditions. By 2100, the climate in Columbia is expected to resemble that of Reynosa, Mexico, located at the southern border of the United States.

Shifting climates have far-reaching effects on both people and the environment, altering landscapes and impacting local agricultural production.

Shel Winkley, a meteorologist at Climate Central, says this could be the fate for much of the U.S. "By the end of the century, if high levels of heat-trapping pollution continue, summer highs in major cities could be on average as much as 8 degrees hotter than what they are today." Shel says. That has big implications for what the climate looks like. "Generally, what that means is that summers will resemble locations that are as much as 400 miles or more to the south for most U.S. cities."

A warming climate also increases the risk of extreme heat, which is already the number one weather killer. "It's not just about discomfort. Extreme heat is the number one reason that we have weather-related deaths." Shel says, "These aren't just numbers on a thermometer. We're looking at the fundamental shift that will impact how people work, live, and stay safe in their communities."