stagnant-air

Climate Central analysis reveals that 83% of 241 analyzed U.S. cities saw an increase in summer stagnant days between 1973 and 2021, with a strong positive correlation between these events and rising summer high temperatures. Annual stagnation has also increased in 81% of these cities, with hotspots in Southern Texas and coastal California. These trends are expected to worsen with climate change, potentially adding up to 40 more stagnant days per year by late-century, which traps pollutants and disproportionately affects communities of color due to historical housing policies.

• Between 1973 and 2021, 83% of the 241 analyzed U.S. cities experienced an increase in summer stagnant days, with an average increase of 6 days. California contained the five cities with the highest increases: San Francisco (+32 days), San Jose (+30 days), Monterey (+27 days), Sacramento (+26 days), and Stockton (+24 days).
• There is a strong link between heat and stagnation, with 98% of the 241 analyzed U.S. cities showing a positive correlation between summer high temperatures and the number of summer stagnant days since 1973. This relationship was particularly strong in Reno, Nevada; Fresno, California; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Annual stagnation has increased in 81% of the 241 analyzed U.S. cities since 1973, averaging 10 additional stagnant days per year. Major hotspots include coastal California, Southern Texas, and areas around Salt Lake City, Utah, and New Orleans, Louisiana, while the Plains, Northern Rockies, Idaho, and Colorado saw overall decreases.
• Atmospheric stagnation traps pollutants like ozone and fine particulate pollution, increasing health risks. These risks are projected to grow, with up to 40 more stagnant days per year by the end of the century. Communities of color in 202 U.S. cities face disproportionate exposure to this pollution, linked to discriminatory housing policies from the 1930s.

APA

Climate Central (2022). stagnant-air. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/stagnant-air

Chicago

Climate Central. stagnant-air. 2022. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/stagnant-air.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=stagnant-air |date=27 July 2022 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/stagnant-air |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2022stagnantair, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{stagnant-air}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/stagnant-air}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }