Degree Days are a practical method for determining cumulative temperatures over the course of a season. Originally designed to evaluate energy demand and consumption, degree days are based on how far the average temperature departs from a human comfort level of 65°F *. Simply put, each degree of temperature above 65°F is counted as one cooling degree day, and each degree of temperature below 65°F is counted as one heating degree day. For example, a day with an average temperature of 80°F will have 15 cooling degree days.

The number of degree days accumulated in a day are proportional to the amount of heating/cooling you would have to do to a building to reach the human comfort level of 65°F. the degree days are accumulated each day over the course of a heating/cooling season, and can be compared to a long term (multi-year) average, or normal, to see if that season was warmer or cooler than usual. (Source: NESDIS, NOAA).

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