Utah Among Rapidly Heating Western States

Mar 31, 2008 by Eric Ray

(KCPW News) Utah is among several states in the Western U.S. experiencing the hottest temperature increases in the nation, according to a new report from the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization.

"In Utah the report showed that the five-year average temperature is 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit higher than averages over the last 100 years. So the last five years have been extremely warm, and indeed the last 10 years have been extremely warm," says Sarah Wright, Executive Director of Utah Clean Energy, an organization that works to advance the use of renewable energy sources.

The report shows the temperature rise for states in the Colorado River Basin was more than twice the global average increase of one degree for a five-year period beginning in 2003. National experts can't attribute the cause to any particular factor, although several hint that global warming is the problem. Wright says while the temperature change may seem small, it could have major impacts on the state's economy - beginning with the ski industry.

"With the ski industry also comes impacts on our water," says Wright. "We depend on our snowpacks for water in our area, so it not only impacts industry but it also impacts our ability to have pottable water to drink and grow our food."

Wright says there are ways to curb the heat. She suggests building near-zero energy homes and making the transportation system more efficient as solutions.

View a copy of the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization report below.

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