Why summer's heat hasn't cost most Americans ... yet
Estimated cooling costs have substantially decreased year-over-year in many U.S. cities so far in 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
First, the southeastern United States experienced record-setting temperatures through the end of June. Now, the Northeast is set to face conditions this weekend that will be comparable to Death Valley, including AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures in Washington, D.C., on Saturday forecast to reach 113 F.
However, so far this year, the Northeast and other parts of the country have not seen comparable enhanced cooling costs that the Southeast has encountered.
Estimated costs for cooling from May 1 through July 16 compared to the same period last cooling season are lower in several U.S. cities, according to an AccuWeather analysis, with substantial decreases in many large cities nationally. Northeast cities in which estimated costs have decreased compared to last year were Pittsburgh, (25.8% decrease), New York City (15.6%), Boston (4.1%), and Hartford (2.9%).
The decrease in costs is more pronounced throughout the country. Los Angeles has experienced a decrease of 51% compared to last year’s cooling costs, while Chicago (36.7%), Indianapolis (33.2%), Salt Lake City (29.7%), St. Louis (29%), San Francisco (27.7%) Dallas-Fort Worth (25.7%), and Cincinnati (25.6%) have also seen substantial decreases.
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Of course, cooling costs are still elevated in many Southeastern cities because of the warm start to the season. Among the cities in which estimated cooling costs increased the most compared to last year were Miami (17%), Gainesville (14.6%), Baltimore (12.1%), and Key West (10.7%).
This week figures to bring change to those numbers in many places. “Cooling demands will surge with the intense heat wave,” said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
It’s still early in the cooling season, which can last until late in the year in many U.S. cities. The costs of cooling, including electricity, vary from year to year and from place to place, so the percentage change in your bill may vary from these percentages.
Download the free AccuWeather app to see the forecast for your location. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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