2020 Cooling Degree Days

Climate Central's analysis of 242 U.S. cities shows that 96% have experienced an increase in cooling degree days since the 1970s, with the most significant rises in the South and Southwest. This trend is driving a projected 59% increase in residential air conditioning consumption by 2050, which contributes to carbon emissions, the urban heat island effect, and the release of heat-trapping gases from improper disposal.

• An analysis of 242 U.S. cities found that 96% have seen an increase in cooling degree days (CDD) since the 1970s. While the largest increases occurred in the South and Southwest—with McAllen, Texas, Las Vegas, and Phoenix all seeing increases of over 1,000 CDDs—significant rises were also noted in northern cities such as Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., and Syracuse, NY. Specifically, 61% (148) of the analyzed cities experienced increases exceeding 200 CDDs.
• Energy use for cooling in the U.S. is projected to grow by 37% by 2050, which is faster than any other energy use in commercial and residential buildings. Residential air conditioning consumption is expected to increase by 59% by 2050, significantly outpacing the 17% growth projected for commercial spaces.
• The increased reliance on air conditioning creates several environmental risks: it releases CO2 when powered by fossil fuels, contributes to the urban heat island effect by emitting heat outdoors, and can leak hydrofluorocarbons or other heat-trapping gases if units are not disposed of correctly.
• Climate change and rising cooling costs disproportionately affect minority and low-income communities, who may lack access to air conditioning or live in energy-inefficient homes that are more expensive to cool.

APA

Maia-Silva, D., Nateghi, R. (., Sanders, K., & Drehobl, A. (2020). 2020 Cooling Degree Days. Climate Central. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-cooling-degree-days

Chicago

Maia-Silva, Debora, Roshanak (Roshi) Nateghi, Kelly Sanders, and Ariel Drehobl. 2020 Cooling Degree Days. Climate Central, 2020. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-cooling-degree-days.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Maia-Silva |first1=Debora |last2=Nateghi |first2=Roshanak (Roshi) |last3=Sanders |first3=Kelly |last4=Drehobl |first4=Ariel |title=2020 Cooling Degree Days |publisher=Climate Central |date=12 August 2020 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-cooling-degree-days |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{maiasilva20202020, author = {Maia-Silva, Debora and Nateghi, Roshanak (Roshi) and Sanders, Kelly and Drehobl, Ariel}, title = {{2020 Cooling Degree Days}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2020}, month = aug, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-cooling-degree-days}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }