Illustration by Ryan Johnson
Q: How will climate change affect Indiana?
A: A recent report from the Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment attempted to suss out the specifics of our state’s sweatier future. We probably don’t have to worry about hurricanes, but average temperatures are expected to continue to trend upward. By century’s end, we’ll be sitting at about 6 degrees higher than where we are now. That means a longer allergy season; hardier mosquitos, fleas, and ticks that don’t die off come November; and more of the sweltering days that tax power grids, crops, and the constitutions of babies and the elderly. Snow will become something of a rarity and flooding spring rains more common. While that sounds bleak, we’re still in a relatively enviable position compared to, say, Texas, Louisiana, or Florida. Indiana, along with other advantageously situated states, may want to start preparing now to welcome an influx of new residents from less livable locales.
