Interactive map shows how U.S. has warmed since 1st Earth Day

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. Since that time, researchers with ClimateCentral.org say average temperatures have been rising across the U.S.

The interactive map below shows a state-by-state analysis of those temperature trends.



ClimateCentral.org says Delaware and Wisconsin are tied as the fastest-warming states since 1970, warming at a rate of 0.67°F per decade.

Average annual temperatures in the two states are about 3°F warmer than they were 44 years ago. Vermont, New Jersey, and Michigan are warming nearly as fast, and all are warming about twice as fast as the global average.

The slowest-warming states are Washington, Georgia, Florida, and Oregon – warming just more than 0.3°F per decade since 1970 — and are on pace with average global temperatures.