Summer has arrived, and with it a brutal heat wave that has scorched the western United States. The temperature was expected to soar to 119 in Phoenix on Tuesday, a June 20 record for the city. Temps might climb to 127 in the aptly-named Death Valley.
The severe heat has canceled flights out of Phoenix and has been blamed for buckling roads, raging fires, and power outages in California, the nation’s most populous state.
Excessive heat warnings have been issued for inland California, southern Nevada, and parts of southwest Arizona through Friday. More than 29 million residents in California are under a heat warning or advisory.
Click here to see America’s hottest cities.
Click here to see the methodology.
Heat kills more people in the United States, over a 30-year average, than any other natural hazard, according to the National Weather Service. Last year, excessive heat was blamed for 94 fatalities, second only to the 126 deaths attributed to flooding.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration reported Monday that the average global temperature in May 2017 was 1.49 degrees above the 20th-century May average of 58.6 degrees. This May was the third-hottest on record since the organization began collecting data in 1880.
The year-to-date average global temperature through may was 1.66 degrees above the 20th-century average of 55.5 degrees. This is the second-warmest for this period, behind the record set in 2016.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration on U.S. cities that report the most days a year with exceptionally high temperatures.
50. Oklahoma City, OK
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 71
> Highest temp. on record: 113° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 94° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 51.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 139
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49. Tulsa, OK
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 73
> Highest temp. on record: 113° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 94° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 52.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 127
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48. Sacramento, CA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 73
> Highest temp. on record: 115° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 29.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 188
47. Winslow, AZ
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 73
> Highest temp. on record: 109° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 95° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 26.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 177
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46. New Orleans, LA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 74
> Highest temp. on record: 102° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 91° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 65.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 101
45. West Palm Beach, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 75
> Highest temp. on record: 101° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 90° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 64.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 75
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44. Little Rock, AR
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 75
> Highest temp. on record: 114° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 55.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 119
43. Mobile, AL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 76
> Highest temp. on record: 105° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 91° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 60.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 102
42. Columbus, GA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 77
> Highest temp. on record: 106° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 56.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 110
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41. Fort Smith, AR
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 77
> Highest temp. on record: 115° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 53.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 123
40. Columbia, SC
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 77
> Highest temp. on record: 109° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 53.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 115
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39. Augusta, GA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 78
> Highest temp. on record: 108° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 54.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 112
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38. Lake Charles, LA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 79
> Highest temp. on record: 107° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 62.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 98
37. Jacksonville, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 82
> Highest temp. on record: 105° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 59.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 94
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36. Stockton, CA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 82
> Highest temp. on record: 115° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 27.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 184
35. Jackson, MS
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 83
> Highest temp. on record: 107° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 59.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 111
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34. Meridian, MS
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 84
> Highest temp. on record: 107° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 58.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 108
33. Montgomery, AL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 84
> Highest temp. on record: 106° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 58.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 107
32. Gainesville, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 84
> Highest temp. on record: 103° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 91° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 62.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 0
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31. Lubbock, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 84
> Highest temp. on record: 114° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 46.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 160
30. Macon, GA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 85
> Highest temp. on record: 108° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 55.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 112
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29. Port Arthur, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 86
> Highest temp. on record: 108° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 63.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 95
28. Tampa, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 86
> Highest temp. on record: 99° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 90° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 64.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 101
27. Baton Rouge, LA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 89
> Highest temp. on record: 105° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 61.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 99
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26. Tallahassee, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 91
> Highest temp. on record: 105° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 61.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 102
25. Bishop, CA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 91
> Highest temp. on record: 110° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 98° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 15.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 201
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24. Shreveport, LA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 92
> Highest temp. on record: 109° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 93° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 54.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 114
23. Orlando, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 97
> Highest temp. on record: 101° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 59.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 89
22. Roswell, NM
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 98
> Highest temp. on record: 114° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 94° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 32.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 168
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21. Fort Myers, FL
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 99
> Highest temp. on record: 103° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 61.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 98
20. Abilene, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 102
> Highest temp. on record: 110° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 94° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 46.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 149
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19. Houston, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 103
> Highest temp. on record: 109° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 92° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 56.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 90
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18. Dallas, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 103
> Highest temp. on record: 112° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 96° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 48.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 0
17. Redding, CA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 104
> Highest temp. on record: 118° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 95° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 18.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 172
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16. Midland-Odessa, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 106
> Highest temp. on record: 116° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 95° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 42.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 165
15. Wichita Falls, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 107
> Highest temp. on record: 117° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 97° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 44.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 151
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14. Fresno, CA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 108
> Highest temp. on record: 113° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 98° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 21.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 194
13. El Paso, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 108
> Highest temp. on record: 114° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 96° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 18.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 193
12. Victoria, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 110
> Highest temp. on record: 111° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 95° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 55.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 86
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11. Bakersfield, CA
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 110
> Highest temp. on record: 115° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 97° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 21.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 191
10. Waco, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 111
> Highest temp. on record: 112° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 97° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 47.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 130
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9. Corpus Christi, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 112
> Highest temp. on record: 109° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 94° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 56.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 102
8. Austin, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 114
> Highest temp. on record: 112° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 97° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 49.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 115
7. San Angelo, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 114
> Highest temp. on record: 111° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 95° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 43.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 154
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6. San Antonio, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 116
> Highest temp. on record: 111° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 98° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 50.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 105
5. Brownsville, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 124
> Highest temp. on record: 106° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 94° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 55.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 96
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4. Del Rio, TX
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 134
> Highest temp. on record: 112° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 97° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 50.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 121
3. Las Vegas, NV
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 135
> Highest temp. on record: 117° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 104° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 15.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 210
2. Tucson, AZ
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 146
> Highest temp. on record: 117° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 100° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 13.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 193
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1. Phoenix, AZ
> Days per year with 90+ temp.: 169
> Highest temp. on record: 122° F
> Normal mid-summer high: 106° F
> Mid-summer afternoon humidity: 21.0%
> Avg. sunny days per year: 211
Methodology
To identify the hottest cities in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the average number of days each year that temperatures of 90°F or higher are recorded in 254 U.S. cities. Figures came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2015 Comparative Climatic Data report. Averages for each city were calculated over varying periods, depending on when the city began keeping records.
The normal mid-summer high temperature is the 30-year average daily maximum temperature from the month with the highest average daily temperature for each city using data recorded between 1981-2010. Mid-summer afternoon humidity is the average relative afternoon humidity for the same month as the normal mid-summer high. Highest temperature on record refers to the highest temperature recorded at each city’s weather station and may differ from citywide or statewide figures.
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