No, Washington Post, Houston’s Mosquito Problem Isn’t New or Driven by Climate Change
4 hours ago Anthony Watts 17 Comments
A recent article in the Washington Post (WaPo) linked recent heavy rain and an associated explosion of mosquitoes to climate change. Other media outlets such as Fox News, cited the WaPo story saying Mosquitoes swarm Texas town, officials blame climate change. Officials may be blaming climate change, but they are wrong. The WaPo and town officials are conflating weather and climate, and one exceptionally wet spring is not indicative of a long-term climate change trend. Further, history shows us that because of its geography, location, and climate, Houston has always been prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Since the end of the last ice age, the south Texas coastal plain, where Houston lies, has always been hot, humid, and rife with mosquitos.
Still, WaPo’s article consists, in part, of an interview with the director of mosquito control for Houston who said:
“[A]s it gets warmer earlier, we see a larger amount of mosquitoes earlier,” said Max Vigilant, director of mosquito and vector control in Harris County, where Houston is located. “We are getting hotter temperatures earlier.”
“This is the impact that climate change has had on Harris Country,” Vigilant added.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/24/no-washington-post-houstons-mosquito-problem-isnt-new-or-driven-by-climate-change/
