30 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for the Weather

In this piece, we will take a look at the 30 best places to live in the U.S. for the weather. For more places, head on over to 10 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for the Weather.

The U.S. is the fourth largest country in the world, coming in after Russia, Canada, and China. This lends it a diverse climate courtesy of vast differences between longitudes and latitudes. Considering all American territories, the northernmost American point is Point Barrow in Alaska, the southernmost point is Rose Atoll in American Samoa, the easternmost point is Point Udall in U.S. Virgin Islands, and the westernmost point is Udall Point in Guam. Within the Continental United States, which consists of the territory located primarily between Canada in the north and Mexico in the south, Minnesota, Florida, Maine, and Washington have the northernmost, southernmost, easternmost, and westernmost points, respectively. Additionally, altitude within the U.S. ranges between 14,494 feet of Mount Whitney in California and -282 feet in the Badwater Basin in Death Valley, California.

This vast geography also lends America a variety of different climates. Some of these include semi arid, desert, humid continental, temperate, and oceanic, with Alaska also having some of the most extreme climatic conditions. However, while the U.S. is unique in terms of climatic diversity, it still is not immune to global warming or climate change. Temperatures are generally the highest in Florida and the lowest in Alaska, while precipitation is highest in Hawaii and the lowest in Nevada,  mirroring the regions' geographies.

The Economic Cost of Climate Change

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) there are several indicators of climate change that are already taking place. For instance, most of America's lakes are freezing later, winter temperatures have increased by three degrees Fahrenheit since 1896, and the use of natural gas to heat homes has also dropped since 1974. Climate change has already made its mark on the global economy as well, with a report from Morgan Stanley estimating that between 2016 and 2018 climate related disasters have cost the world a whopping $650 billion. However, if this was surprising, you'll be worried to learn about the estimates put forward by a United Nations panel that say that the cost of global warming can reach an absolutely stunning $54 trillion in just a couple of decades from now, or by 2040. Morgan Stanley adds that Asia will be one of the hardest hit regions by climate change, with the estimated cost of damages sitting at $180 billion.