ORLANDO, Fla. – It is time for Opening Day for Major League Baseball. Fans all over the country live for this day. In a world still fighting Covid-19 this is a much anticipated Opening Day.
But as we head into the baseball season I want to pause for a moment and consider the changes we have experienced in climate for Opening Day.
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According to Climate Central, since 1970, the Major League Baseball cities have had an average warming of 2.1 degrees for Opening Day. Check out the graphics for our Florida teams.
The Marlings are just a tad above the MLB average with a change of 2.4 degrees.
Tampa, now the home of the Rays, has experienced a warm-up of 2.6 degrees in the same time frame.
Long before MLB had teams in Florida the closest team was in Atlanta. The Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966. The temps have been warming ever since. The Braves now have a 3.1 degree warmer Opening Day than they did in 1970. Full disclosure: I am a HUGE Braves fan.
And, not to be outdone, the average temp for the Tigers in Detroit has risen 3.3 degrees for Opening Day over the last 50 seasons. And yes, the Tigers are my American League team.
One important thing to keep in mind, as the average temperatures rise the chances of home runs also goes up. As our atmosphere warms it expands. That expansion makes the air less dense and allows the baseball to travel as much as three or four feet farther on average.