Heat wave gives Maine a sneak peek at summers of the future

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 22, 2024

Maine summers are indeed getting hotter. And the state, which has more experience dealing with extreme cold than extreme heat, finds itself unprepared. Portland summers are 2.4 degrees warmer than in 1970, with two additional weeks of abnormally hot weather. Last week’s record-setting heat wave offers a sneak peek at future summers in Maine if we don’t cut the global emissions that are changing the climate. Average summer temperatures would be up to 4 degrees hotter by 2050 and almost 9 degrees hotter by 2100.