Climate Change & Richmond's Future

Under climate change, increased temperatures and floods are two of the more significant threats to Richmond locals and the James River. While the average temperature of Richmond has seen a minimal increase over the last few decades, the future is predicted to be a different story. The city's website contains a simple graphic that shows various weather changes expected to occur due to climate change. For example, the average temperature of Richmond may very well increase from the current seventy degrees to seventy-five degrees from 2041-2060. Additionally, the state's capital will experience more extended heat waves, and people will find themselves waking up to more 95-degree days. 

Climate change will also bring more rainfall and storms to the city, accompanied by more intense flooding. The James River Association issued a press release detailing the risks of such extreme weather changes to residents. Among these risks is discharged toxic chemicals from damaged infrastructure, which could endanger the residents' health and the James River's ecology.

It is essential to understand the expected changes that Richmond will undergo to protect the city's residents and the James River. While the NOAA contains an excellent weather source, I find the projection tool on climate.gov to be more simple. Using the projection tool, one can get a good idea of the potential temperature changes that Richmond will see under different emissions scenarios.