U.S. FACES A RISE IN MOSQUITO ‘DISEASE DANGER DAYS’

Climate Central analyzed temperature data from 244 U.S. cities to determine the increase in days falling within the 61-93°F range suitable for disease transmission by Aedes and Culex mosquitoes. The analysis found that 94% of these cities are experiencing an increase in these 'disease danger days' since 1970, with significant increases noted in California, the Southwest, and some northern cities. While most areas face higher risks, some locations like Phoenix may become too hot for mosquito survival. The report also highlights that warmer temperatures shorten the Extrinsic Incubation Period (EIP) of viruses, potentially increasing the number of infectious mosquitoes and expanding the range of species like Aedes albopictus.

• Analysis of 244 U.S. cities shows that 94 percent (229 cities) have experienced an increase in 'disease danger days'—days with average temperatures between 61 and 93 degrees Fahrenheit—since 1970.
• The cities with the largest increases in disease danger days include Reno, NV, San Francisco, CA, Santa Maria, CA, Las Cruces, NM, El Paso, TX, Tucson, AZ, Helena, MT, Erie, PA, and Bluefield, VA.
• Rising temperatures can accelerate the transmission of viruses by shortening the Extrinsic Incubation Period (EIP), which is the time it takes for a virus to develop inside the mosquito and become transmittable to humans.
• The land area in the U.S. suitable for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes is projected to grow from 5 percent to approximately 50 percent by 2100, potentially placing 60 percent of the northeastern U.S. population at risk for diseases such as Zika, dengue, and West Nile virus.
• Extreme heat may limit disease transmission in some areas; for instance, Phoenix has seen a decrease in disease danger days since 1970 because more days now exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which is beyond the range for transmission.

APA

Langer, J., Dufoe, A., & Brady, J. (2018). U.S. FACES A RISE IN MOSQUITO ‘DISEASE DANGER DAYS’. Climate Central. http://assets.climatecentral.org/pdfs/August2018_CMN_Mosquitoes.pdf?pdf=Mosquitoes-Report

Chicago

Langer, Julia, Abbey Dufoe, and Jen Brady. U.S. FACES A RISE IN MOSQUITO ‘DISEASE DANGER DAYS’. Climate Central, 2018. http://assets.climatecentral.org/pdfs/August2018_CMN_Mosquitoes.pdf?pdf=Mosquitoes-Report.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Langer |first1=Julia |last2=Dufoe |first2=Abbey |last3=Brady |first3=Jen |title=U.S. FACES A RISE IN MOSQUITO ‘DISEASE DANGER DAYS’ |publisher=Climate Central |date=8 August 2018 |url=http://assets.climatecentral.org/pdfs/August2018_CMN_Mosquitoes.pdf?pdf=Mosquitoes-Report |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{langer2018faces, author = {Langer, Julia and Dufoe, Abbey and Brady, Jen}, title = {{U.S. FACES A RISE IN MOSQUITO ‘DISEASE DANGER DAYS’}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {http://assets.climatecentral.org/pdfs/August2018_CMN_Mosquitoes.pdf?pdf=Mosquitoes-Report}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }