During the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, researchers shared a report that sought to identify the economic impact of extreme weather events related to climate. The report classified extreme and chronic weather events as things such as flooding caused by high rainfall, or the wide-reaching impacts of heat waves caused by higher-than-average temperatures. Using various data points, the report concluded that extreme climate-related weather events have contributed to a cumulative $2 trillion cost over the past decade — with $451 billion coming from 2022 and 2023 alone. Unfortunately, this path will probably worsen in the future. Our world continues to experience shifting climates, worsening hurricanes, higher levels of poverty, more infrastructure damage, and widespread violence due to climate change. As the effects worsen, we’ll most likely see more people affected, higher levels of fatality, and more people having to relocate (if possible) to “safer” areas. Contributing to sustainable effects and urging companies to take more eco-friendly approaches to business is necessary to protect our world from future damage. (This is every billion dollar weather event in the U.S. this past year.)
This summer, in the United States, was especially challenging as temperatures soared to levels way higher than normal. In fact, 2024’s summer heat wave has been tied to at least 30 fatalities in the West. Overall, in 2023, 2,325 people died from heat-related causes; this was an increase over the previous two years, with 1,700 deaths in 2022 and 1,602 in 2021. To determine the southern cities who faced the worst heat waves in early July 2024, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed county-level data on daily average temperature from the NOAA’s nClimGrid-Daily program. County seats were ranked based on the raw differential in average daily temperature from the period of July 1-6, 1981-2010, to July 16, 2024. Only county seats with at least 10,000 residents were considered. Population data is collected from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey. It’s important to emphasize that our list aims to find how much hotter it is in certain cities compared to their normal temperatures, so it considers the deviation from normal temperatures — how much hotter current temperatures are compared to historic normals (rather than how high the temperatures are). Also, the list only considers the week of 1-6 July, and some records have been broken since.
Why Does This Matter?
These are the Southern cities that experienced the worst heat waves in July 2024:
50. Durant, OK (Bryan County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.0°F (+4.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.4°F
- Total population: 18,759
49. Baton Rouge, LA (East Baton Rouge Parish)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.2°F (+4.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.5°F
- Total population: 225,500
48. Clanton, AL (Chilton County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.8°F (+4.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 79.1°F
- Total population: 8,776
47. Talladega, AL (Talladega County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+4.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.5°F
- Total population: 15,071
46. Idabel, OK (McCurtain County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.8°F (+4.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 79.1°F
- Total population: 6,994
45. Anniston, AL (Calhoun County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.7°F (+4.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.0°F
- Total population: 21,502
44. Greenville, TX (Hunt County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.5°F (+4.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.7°F
- Total population: 28,923
43. Thomaston, GA (Upson County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.5°F (+4.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.7°F
- Total population: 9,720
42. San Angelo, TX (Tom Green County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.3°F (+4.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.5°F
- Total population: 99,422
41. Griffin, GA (Spalding County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+4.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.4°F
- Total population: 23,485
40. McDonough, GA (Henry County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.3°F (+4.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.5°F
- Total population: 29,134
39. Paris, TX (Lamar County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 85.9°F (+4.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.1°F
- Total population: 24,574
38. Kingman, AZ (Mohave County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 88.4°F (+4.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 83.5°F
- Total population: 33,052
37. Barnesville, GA (Lamar County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+4.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.4°F
- Total population: 6,200
36. Fort Stockton, TX (Pecos County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.2°F (+4.9°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.3°F
- Total population: 8,404
35. LaGrange, GA (Troup County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.3°F (+4.9°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.4°F
- Total population: 31,173
34. Bonham, TX (Fannin County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.4°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 81.4°F
- Total population: 10,485
33. Tucson, AZ (Pima County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 91.0°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 86.1°F
- Total population: 541,033
32. Jackson, GA (Butts County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.7°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.7°F
- Total population: 5,497
31. Conyers, GA (Rockdale County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.3°F
- Total population: 17,415
30. Gainesville, GA (Hall County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.3°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.3°F
- Total population: 42,780
29. Hugo, OK (Choctaw County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 85.6°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 80.6°F
- Total population: 5,178
28. Jefferson, GA (Jackson County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.5°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.5°F
- Total population: 13,496
27. Athens-Clarke County, GA (Clarke County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.9°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.9°F
- Total population: 126,672
26. Decatur, GA (DeKalb County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.9°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.9°F
- Total population: 24,421
25. Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.1°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.1°F
- Total population: 19,010
24. Covington, GA (Newton County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.4°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.4°F
- Total population: 14,190
23. Monroe, GA (Walton County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.9°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 15,036
22. Winder, GA (Barrow County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.5°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.4°F
- Total population: 18,414
21. LaFayette, GA (Walker County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.7°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.5°F
- Total population: 6,929
20. Lawrenceville, GA (Gwinnett County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.3°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.1°F
- Total population: 30,465
19. Atlanta, GA (Fulton County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.8°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.6°F
- Total population: 494,838
18. Del Rio, TX (Val Verde County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 89.0°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 83.7°F
- Total population: 34,722
17. Rome, GA (Floyd County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.3°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.9°F
- Total population: 37,621
16. Marietta, GA (Cobb County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.8°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.5°F
- Total population: 61,387
15. Newnan, GA (Coweta County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.1°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 42,689
14. Alpine, TX (Brewster County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.2°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 80.9°F
- Total population: 5,997
13. Dahlonega, GA (Lumpkin County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 79.2°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 73.8°F
- Total population: 7,083
12. Cumming, GA (Forsyth County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.7°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.3°F
- Total population: 7,371
11. Prescott, AZ (Yavapai County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 84.4°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.9°F
- Total population: 46,054
10. Douglasville, GA (Douglas County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.7°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 35,252
9. Cartersville, GA (Bartow County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.7°F
- Total population: 23,103
8. Dalton, GA (Whitfield County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.8°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 34,358
7. Cedartown, GA (Polk County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.7°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 10,166
6. Dallas, GA (Paulding County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.6°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.0°F
- Total population: 14,126
5. Calhoun, GA (Gordon County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.4°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 17,184
4. Canton, GA (Cherokee County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.3°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.7°F
- Total population: 33,499
3. Carrollton, GA (Carroll County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.4°F (+5.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.7°F
- Total population: 26,622
2. Phoenix, AZ (Maricopa County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 96.3°F (+6.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 90.1°F
- Total population: 1,609,456
1. Yuma, AZ (Yuma County)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 97.5°F (+6.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 90.8°F
- Total population: 96,314
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