Weather Conditions and Daily Commuting

Abstract

Climate change and global warming are severe threats that currently affect the daily lives of the world population. One of the human behaviors that can be most affected by weather conditions is that of personal travel, including commuting, an activity that millions of workers worldwide engage in daily. Within this framework, we analyze the relationships between weather conditions and daily commuting in the US. To that end, we use twenty nationally representative American Time Use Surveys, combined with daily weather data at the county level, spanning the period from 2003 to 2023. The analysis reveals significant relationships between daily weather conditions and commuting mode choices. Specifically, rainy days, high temperatures, and elevated snowfall are positively associated with an increased probability of using cars as the primary commuting mode. In contrast, these weather conditions exhibit a negative relationship with alternative modes of transport, such as public transit or walking. Further findings suggest that these estimates are predominantly driven by days characterized by extremely high temperatures, heavy precipitation, and light snowfall. Finally, our results suggest adaptation to higher temperatures in warmer regions. These results are important for the design of policies aimed at mitigating the mobility consequences of climate change.