LEXINGTON, Ky. — A new climate report shows that rising temperatures are making Kentucky summers hotter and more dangerous, with heat index values topping 110 degrees in parts of the state during a recent heat wave.

According to analysis by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists studying climate change, the average summer temperature in Kentucky has warmed by 2 degrees since 1970. The report links this warming trend to greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, said extreme heat waves are becoming more frequent, prolonged and impactful. "I wish it were a fluke, but alas, it is" part of a sustained long-term warming trend, Swain said.

During the past two decades, Kentucky experienced 38 more billion-dollar disasters from severe storms tied to climate change compared with the previous 20 years, according to the Climate Central analysis. The warmer summers are already creating consequences: researchers document more heat-related illness and worse air quality across the state.

The warming trend poses particular risks for vulnerable populations. Swain noted that while urban residents may be more accustomed to heat, rural Appalachian communities face disproportionate exposure. Many residents in those areas cannot afford air conditioning, and less adapted populations often experience greater impacts from extreme heat extremes.

Temperatures in Bowling Green reached nearly 8 degrees above normal over the past week. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warnings across the region, though forecasters expect the "heat dome" — which traps warm air in the lower atmosphere — to lift in coming days, bringing temperatures down to the mid- to upper 80s.

Health officials warn that rising temperatures and humidity create risks for the elderly, those with chronic conditions, and outdoor workers. Researchers also note that increased heat can aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions by worsening air quality and ground-level ozone.