Climate Matters•March 27, 2023

Baseball Opening Day

KEY CONCEPTS

Ballpark weather is becoming more extreme as the baseball season warms due to climate change.
Since 1970, the average temperature during the Major League Baseball (MLB) season (March to October) has warmed by 2.2°F on average across the 27 MLB cities.
As temperatures increase, so do the frequency of extreme heat and heavy rain events that can not only postpone games but put the health of players and fans at risk.

CM: National Baseball Seasons Temperatures 2023 (EN) — Click the downloadable graphic: National Baseball Season Temperatures

METHODOLOGY

Temperature trends plot data from the Applied Climate Information System, based on a mathematical linear regression. MLB graphics use the average temperature during baseball season (March 30th – Oct 1st) in each of the 27 MLB cities (representing 30 teams) from 1970 to 2022.