PHOENIX — Ron Falk lost his right leg, had extensive skin grafting on the left one and is still recovering a year after collapsing on the searing asphalt outside a Phoenix convenience store where he stopped for a cold soda during a heat wave.
Now using a wheelchair, the 62-year-old lost his job and his home. He's recovering at a medical respite center for patients with no other place to go; there he gets physical therapy and treatment for a bacterial infection in what remains of his right leg, too swollen to use the prosthesis he'd hoped would help him walk again.
"If you don't get somewhere to cool down, the heat will affect you," said Falk, who lost consciousness due to heat stroke. "Then you won't know what's happening, like in my case."
![Extreme Heat Surface Burns](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C889 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C985 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/1d/31d37566-55c8-5655-8a11-399a28d14ecc/668585e283192.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1176 2008w)
Ron Falk, 62, speaks June 25 of losing his leg in Phoenix. Falk lost his right leg, had extensive skin grafting on the left one and is still recovering a year after collapsing on the searing asphalt outside a convenience store during a blistering heat wave. Sizzling sidewalks and unshaded playgrounds increasingly are posing risks for surface burns during extreme heat.
Sizzling sidewalks and unshaded playgrounds pose risks for surface burns as air temperatures reach new summertime highs in Southwest cities like Phoenix, which just recorded its hottest June on record. The average daytime high was 109.5 degrees Fahrenheit, without a single 24-hour high below 100.
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Young children, older adults and homeless people are especially at risk for contact burns, which can occur in seconds when skin touches a surface of 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Since the beginning of June, 50 people were hospitalized with such burns, and four died at Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix, which operates the Southwest's largest burn center, serving patients from Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Southern California and Texas, according to its director, Dr. Kevin Foster. About 80% were injured in metro Phoenix.
Last year, the center admitted 136 patients for surface burns from June through August, up from 85 during the same period in 2022, Foster said. Fourteen died. One out of five were homeless.
"Last year's record heat wave brought an alarming number of patients with life-threatening burns," Foster said of a 31-day period, including all of last July, with temperatures at or above 110 degrees during Phoenix's hottest summer ever.
![Extreme Heat Surface Burns](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C889 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C985 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/d5/9d550af6-33a8-578b-acc5-f0f71b5818fe/6687f96f875f8.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1176 2008w)
A children's playground is unused in the heat June 25 in Phoenix.
In Las Vegas, which regularly sees summer highs in the triple-digits, 22 people were hospitalized in June alone at the University Medical Center's Lions Burn Care Center, said spokesperson Scott Kerbs. That's almost half as many as the 46 hospitalized during all three summer months last year.
As in Phoenix, the desert sun punishes Las Vegas for hours every day, frying outdoor surfaces like asphalt, concrete and metal doors on cars and playground equipment like swings and monkey bars.
Surface burn victims often include children injured walking barefoot on broiling concrete or touching hot surfaces, adults who collapsed on a sidewalk while intoxicated, and older people who fell on the pavement due to heat stroke or another medical emergency.
Some don't survive.
Thermal injuries were among the main or contributing causes of last year's 645 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County, which encompasses Phoenix.
One victim was an 82-year-old woman with dementia and heart disease admitted to a suburban Phoenix hospital after being found on the scorching pavement on an August day that hit 106 degrees.
With a body temperature of 105 degrees, the woman was rushed to the hospital with second-degree burns on her back and right side, covering 8% of her body. She died three days later.
Many surface burn patients also suffered potentially fatal heat stroke.
Recovery for those with skin burns was often lengthy, with patients undergoing multiple skin grafts and other surgeries, followed by months of recovery in skilled nursing or rehabilitation facilities.
![Extreme Heat Surface Burns](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C889 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C985 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/12/5125a6ef-acfd-5e99-9ecc-01ae60d72f10/6687fe9f066cd.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1176 2008w)
Phoenix firefighters give medical attention to a homeless man May 30, 2024 in Phoenix.
Bob Woolley, 71, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his hands, arms, leg and torso after he stumbled onto the broiling backyard rock garden at his Phoenix home, wearing only swim trunks and a tank top.
"The ordeal was extremely painful, it was almost unbearable," said Woolley, who was hospitalized at the Valleywise burn center for several months. He said he considers himself "95% recovered" after extensive skin grafts and physical therapy and has resumed some former activities like swimming and motorcycle riding.
Some skin-burn victims, both in Phoenix and Las Vegas, were children.
"In many cases, this involves toddlers walking or crawling onto hot surfaces," Kerbs said of those hospitalized at the Las Vegas center.
Foster said about 20% of the hospitalized and outpatient skin-burn victims seen at the Phoenix center are children.
Small children aren't fully aware of the harm a sizzling metal door handle or a scorching sidewalk can cause.
![Extreme Heat Surface Burns](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/a3/fa309b6e-703c-5a46-8e5f-f92ebfe156e4/668587ddc431f.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
People keep cool under misters outside a homeless shelter May 30 in Phoenix.
"Because they're playing, they don't pay attention," said urban climatologist Ariane Middel, an assistant professor at Arizona State University who directs the SHaDE Lab, a research team that studies the effects of urban heat. "They may not even notice that it's hot."
Recovering at Phoenix's Circle the City, a respite care facility he was sent to after being released from Valleywise's burn unit, Falk said he never imagined the Phoenix heat could cause him to collapse on the broiling asphalt in his shorts and T-shirt.
Because he wasn't carrying identification or a phone, no one knew where he was for months.
He has a long road ahead but still hopes to regain part of his old life, working for a concessionaire for entertainment events.
"I kind of went into a downward spiral," Falk acknowledged. "I finally woke up and said, 'Hey, wait, I lost a leg.' But that doesn't mean you're useless."
Coastal Areas That Saw the Largest Increase in Water Temps
Coastal Areas That Saw the Largest Increase in Water Temps
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Photo Credit: Shamiso Chikanga / Shutterstock
Recent years have brought unusually high temperatures to the world’s waters—and with them, major impacts on marine life and coastal communities. However, since early 2023, this trend has significantly intensified, with each day for more than a year setting a new record high.
Several factors have likely contributed to these temperature increases—including rising greenhouse-gas levels creating excess atmospheric warming that absorbs into the world’s oceans—but climate scientists are having trouble completely explaining the anomalous warming. Some point to international fuel standards implemented in 2020 that reduced container ship aerosol pollution and the cooling effect that comes with it. Others attribute some of the rise to natural occurrences such as the underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano eruption in 2022 that sent up plumes of water vapor into the upper atmosphere that absorbs heat radiated from Earth and prevents it from escaping out to space.
The effects have created eye-popping weather and climate events in recent years. In early 2023, waters off the coast of South Florida reached more than 100 degrees—approximately the temperature of the water in a hot tub. Coral reefs have begun to experience bleaching at levels previously thought impossible, endangering one of the most important ecosystems for marine life. Hurricanes Lee and Otis last year became some of the fastest-intensifying storms in recorded history on their way to Category 5 strength, and the 2024 hurricane season is projected to be one of the most active on record.
Changes in Global Sea Water Temperature Over Time
![Changes in Global Sea Water Temperature Over Time](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=150%2C105 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=200%2C140 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=225%2C157 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=300%2C209 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=400%2C279 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=540%2C377 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=640%2C447 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=750%2C523 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=990%2C691 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=1035%2C722 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=1200%2C838 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=1333%2C930 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/13/313be2ef-9c25-5835-aaa4-e3a7c325ecbe/668585ec75cef.image.png?resize=1450%2C1012 1476w)
In February 2024, ocean temperatures reached the highest level on record
Source: Captain Experiences analysis of the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute data
On February 29, 2024, the average global sea surface temperature reached a new daily high of 70.1 degrees Fahrenheit, highlighting the accelerating warming trend. Compared to previous decades, sea surface temperatures have been rising much faster each year. For example, the average ocean temperatures in 1990 and 2000 were extremely similar. However, by 2010, daily ocean temperatures exceeded those of 2000 by an average of 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit. In 2020, daily temperatures further surpassed those of 2010 by an average of 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit. And in just three years, average ocean temperatures in 2023 exceeded those of 2020 by another 0.4 degrees.
While the pace of change is alarming, the effects of these trends are not evenly distributed geographically. For coastal communities in the U.S., that means that some areas are more likely to be exposed to rising water temperatures than others. Communities that have experienced rapid increases in water temperatures may find themselves more vulnerable to extreme weather events—and with them, risks of extensive property damage, diminished economic activity, and the loss of human life.
Atlantic Coast Metros That Saw the Biggest Increase in Water Temperature
![Atlantic Coast Metros That Saw the Biggest Increase in Water Temperature](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=150%2C80 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=200%2C107 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=225%2C120 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=300%2C160 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=400%2C214 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=540%2C289 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=640%2C342 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=750%2C401 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=990%2C529 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=1035%2C553 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=1200%2C641 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=1333%2C712 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/06/5061bc60-4108-5d1b-a4ef-4d4304f501a1/668585f329afa.image.png?resize=1450%2C775 1476w)
Gulf Coast Metros That Saw the Biggest Increase in Water Temperature
![Gulf Coast Metros That Saw the Biggest Increase in Water Temperature](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=150%2C80 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=200%2C107 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=225%2C120 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=300%2C160 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=400%2C214 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=540%2C289 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=640%2C342 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=750%2C401 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=990%2C529 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=1035%2C553 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=1200%2C641 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=1333%2C712 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/ed/6ed28412-e154-5216-849b-48f4b984fd88/668585f57a745.image.png?resize=1450%2C775 1476w)
Great Lakes Metros That Saw the Biggest Increase in Water Temperature
![Great Lakes Metros That Saw the Biggest Increase in Water Temperature](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=150%2C57 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=200%2C76 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=225%2C85 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=300%2C114 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=400%2C152 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=540%2C205 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=640%2C243 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=750%2C284 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=990%2C376 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=1035%2C393 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=1200%2C455 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=1333%2C506 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c2/2c2dc841-bc6a-5276-9fb4-b7974f13b549/668585f70f987.image.png?resize=1450%2C550 1476w)
Methodology & Detailed Findings
![Methodology & Detailed Findings](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/23/92387976-264e-55a2-810a-fc36e70b1c66/668585fa56363.image.jpg?resize=1000%2C667 1035w)
Photo Credit: Shamiso Chikanga / Shutterstock
The data used in this study is from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Tides and Currents series. To determine the coastal areas that saw the biggest increase in water temperature, researchers at Captain Experiences calculated the average summer water temperature change from 2013 to 2023 across each coastal metropolitan and micropolitan area. Average summer water temperatures were calculated by averaging hourly surface water temperatures for July, August, and September, and peak summer water temperatures were calculated using the largest average monthly water temperature for any given meteorological or physical oceanographical station located within each coastal area. Additionally, only metropolitan and micropolitan areas with sufficient coastal sea water temperature data were included.
For complete results, see Coastal Areas That Saw the Largest Increase in Water Temps on Captain Experiences.