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Potential Climate Change Indicator #5: |
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| Heating and cooling degree days are determined by comparing the average daily temperature to 65 degrees F, a temperature at which most people are comfortable without heating or cooling. If the day’s temperature is less than 65, subtract it from 65 to find the number of heating degree days. If the day’s temperature is more than 65, subtract 65 from the temperature to find the number of cooling degree days. Climatologists keep a yearly cumulative record of degree days; this cumulative record is what’s plotted on these graphs. Heating and cooling degree days can be used as a general index of how much you might spend on heating or air conditioning. If there is a general temperature increase, cooling degree days would increase while heating degree days would decrease. Such changes in temperature would affect Vermonters financially – air conditioning is far more expensive than most types of heating. |
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