PlainHazard

Heat in the United States, by state

The national record since 1996 · Heat, Excessive Heat

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 56,759 heat records in the United States from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 1,989 a year since 2000. Texas records the most (6,648), New Jersey the most per square mile. The deadliest storm in NOAA's record since 1996 is the July 11, 2023 excessive heat in Arizona: 240 deaths.

Heat, 1996 to 2026

Records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $10 million
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
56,7591996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
1,989average
Deaths
6,736recorded
Damage, 2025 dollars
$775MStorm Events, as filed

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Which states have the most heat records?

By count Texas (6,648), Oklahoma (4,699), Missouri (3,763) lead. Per 10,000 square miles New Jersey (2320), Delaware (1555), Maryland (1330) lead; large states collect more records by covering more ground.

By count since 1996

  1. Texas 6,648
  2. Oklahoma 4,699
  3. Missouri 3,763
  4. Illinois 3,276
  5. Mississippi 2,741
  6. California 2,691
  7. Arizona 2,676
  8. Arkansas 2,651
  9. Louisiana 2,491
  10. Tennessee 2,227
  11. Kentucky 2,073
  12. New Jersey 1,706
  13. New York 1,402
  14. Virginia 1,339
  15. Georgia 1,333

Per 10,000 square miles

  1. New Jersey 2320
  2. Delaware 1555
  3. Maryland 1330
  4. Oklahoma 685
  5. Illinois 590
  6. Mississippi 584
  7. Louisiana 576
  8. Missouri 547
  9. Tennessee 540
  10. Puerto Rico 537
  11. Kentucky 525
  12. Arkansas 510
  13. Connecticut 382
  14. West Virginia 376
  15. Virginia 339

Source: Land area: Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles are not ranked per square mile.

Alabama: 258 per 10,000 sq miAlaska: 0.6 per 10,000 sq miArizona: 235 per 10,000 sq miArkansas: 510 per 10,000 sq miCalifornia: 173 per 10,000 sq miColorado: 1.4 per 10,000 sq miConnecticut: 382 per 10,000 sq miDelaware: 1,555 per 10,000 sq miFlorida: 55 per 10,000 sq miGeorgia: 231 per 10,000 sq miIdaho: 8.5 per 10,000 sq miIllinois: 590 per 10,000 sq miIndiana: 169 per 10,000 sq miIowa: 159 per 10,000 sq miKansas: 110 per 10,000 sq miKentucky: 525 per 10,000 sq miLouisiana: 576 per 10,000 sq miMaine: 71 per 10,000 sq miMaryland: 1,330 per 10,000 sq miMassachusetts: 163 per 10,000 sq miMichigan: 65 per 10,000 sq miMinnesota: 101 per 10,000 sq miMississippi: 584 per 10,000 sq miMissouri: 547 per 10,000 sq miMontana: 4.5 per 10,000 sq miNebraska: 98 per 10,000 sq miNevada: 41 per 10,000 sq miNew Hampshire: 38 per 10,000 sq miNew Jersey: 2,320 per 10,000 sq miNew Mexico: 8.4 per 10,000 sq miNew York: 298 per 10,000 sq miNorth Carolina: 73 per 10,000 sq miNorth Dakota: 13 per 10,000 sq miOhio: 100 per 10,000 sq miOklahoma: 685 per 10,000 sq miOregon: 28 per 10,000 sq miPennsylvania: 234 per 10,000 sq miRhode Island: 339 per 10,000 sq miSouth Carolina: 62 per 10,000 sq miSouth Dakota: 116 per 10,000 sq miTennessee: 540 per 10,000 sq miTexas: 254 per 10,000 sq miUtah: 4.5 per 10,000 sq miVermont: 181 per 10,000 sq miVirginia: 339 per 10,000 sq miWashington: 39 per 10,000 sq miWest Virginia: 376 per 10,000 sq miWisconsin: 229 per 10,000 sq miWyoming: 8.0 per 10,000 sq mi
  • 0.6-39
  • 39-110
  • 110-235
  • 235-537
  • 537+
Heat per 10,000 square miles by state since 1996. Each class holds about a fifth of the states; Alaska and Hawaii are drawn as insets, not to scale.

Every state

Heat wave risk by state: FEMA's model

The record above counts what happened. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates what each state can expect to lose to heat in an average year, from history, exposure and vulnerability: Arizona carries the largest expected annual loss ($1.2B), then Texas and Missouri.

  1. Arizona $1.2B
  2. Texas $797M
  3. Missouri $711M
  4. California $378M
  5. Pennsylvania $365M
  6. Illinois $359M
  7. Nevada $305M
  8. New York $270M
  9. Oklahoma $241M
  10. Florida $165M
  11. New Jersey $147M
  12. Arkansas $145M
  13. Maryland $140M
  14. Louisiana $140M
  15. Ohio $119M

Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), county expected annual loss summed by state; a model, not a count. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

When is the heat season?

Nationally, 70% of its heat records since 1996 fell in July and August. The busiest month is July.

The values, month by month

Jan 702 · Feb 667 · Mar 723 · Apr 295 · May 1,008 · Jun 9,867 · Jul 22,844 · Aug 17,127 · Sep 2,389 · Oct 186 · Nov 354 · Dec 597 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

The deadliest heat records on record

The 10 storms with the most deaths since 1996, by state
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2023-07-11 Excessive HeatMaricopa County, AZ · forecast zone Central Phoenix One storm episode: 8 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A very strong ridge of high pressure strengthened over the Desert Southwest during the middle part of the month, resulting in well above normal temperatures and excessive heat conditions. Afternoon high temperatures in Phoenix during this time period ranged between 111-119 degrees, tying or breaking daily record highs ... 240 0 –
2021-06-26 Excessive HeatClackamas County and 2 more, OR · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area One storm episode: 7 records in 6 places; the totals are the episode's. A high pressure heat dome over the region led to stretch of extreme heat, shattering records from June 26 through June 29. All time max temperatures were broken by 8 to 10 degrees. Widespread fatalities occurred due to the heat (123 in total), as many were without air-conditioning, as well as an increase in the number ... 118 0 $109K
2023-07-23 Excessive HeatMaricopa County, AZ · forecast zone Central Phoenix One storm episode: 7 records in 3 places, 2023-07-23 to 2023-07-25; the totals are the episode's. A persistent strong ridge of high pressure over the region led to well above normal temperatures for the end of July. Afternoon highs during this time exceeded 110 degrees each day in Phoenix with the 25th recording a high of 119 degrees. Record high temperatures were set on the 24-26th and the 29th. According to the ... 114 0 –
1999-07-28 HeatCook County, IL · forecast zone Cook One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. An intense heat wave began in the Chicago metropolitan area July 28th and continued through the morning of July 31st. High temperatures on the 28th were in the lower to middle 90s with heat indices 100 to 105. On the 29th the temperatures soared to the middle and upper 90s with heat indices 110 to 120. The heat peaked ... 99 0 –
2022-07-21 Excessive HeatMaricopa County, AZ · forecast zone Central Phoenix One storm episode: 15 records, 2022-07-21 to 2022-07-23; the totals are the episode's. An anomalously strong ridge of high pressure over the Desert Southwest persisted into the latter part of July, leading to temperatures in excess of 110 degrees in Phoenix most days during this time. Temperatures during this time period peaked on the 22nd with Phoenix Sky Harbor recording a high of 114 degrees. ... 81 0 –
1999-07-04 HeatPhiladelphia County, PA · forecast zone Philadelphia One storm episode: 7 records in 7 places; the totals are the episode's. A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave Eastern Pennsylvania a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. There were 74 heat related deaths and over 100 reported heat related injuries. High temperatures reached the 90s for the first time ... 74 135 –
2023-07-14 Excessive HeatPima County, AZ · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area One storm episode: 8 records in 7 places, 2023-07-14 to 2023-07-18; the totals are the episode's. Persistent strong high pressure aloft created an extended period of very hot temperatures July 14-30 across southeast Arizona. High temperatures were 5 to 14 degrees above normal causing the Major Heat Risk category to be reached and numerous high temperatures to be established. Several dozen heat-related fatalities ... 66 0 –
2022-07-14 HeatMaricopa County, AZ · forecast zone Central Phoenix One storm episode: 12 records, 2022-07-14 to 2022-07-18; the totals are the episode's. A strong upper level ridge situated over the Desert Southwest led to well above normal temperatures along with excessive heat conditions at times. Temperatures during this time at Phoenix Sky Harbor peaked on the 16th at 114 degrees. According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, 64 heat-associated ... 64 0 –
2021-06-12 Excessive HeatMaricopa County, AZ · forecast zone Central Phoenix One storm episode: 7 records; the totals are the episode's. A strong upper level ridge strengthened over the Desert Southwest during the middle part of June with the center of high pressure becoming focused over the Four Corners region. As a result, temperatures warmed up well above normal reaching excessive heat conditions. High temperatures climbed at or above 115 degrees ... 56 0 –
2022-06-27 HeatBexar County, TX · forecast zone Bexar Temperatures were unusually hot on the 27th with high temperatures in the San Antonio area ranging from 100-103 degrees (the normal high is 93). Sixty-seven people were found in a tractor-trailer on the southwest side of San Antonio. Fifty-three people died of heat related illnesses. Forty-eight people died at the ... 53 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed, summed over each storm in each state (one episode, or a named storm filed by several offices); names from FEMA declaration titles.

The costliest heat records since 1993

The 8 most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2006-07-16 HeatFresno County and 3 more, CA · forecast zone E Central S.J. Valley One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. 46 18 $721M
2012-03-17 HeatOrange County, VT · forecast zone Orange One storm episode: 16 records in 12 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $8.5M
1999-07-19 HeatWayne County, NE · forecast zone Wayne 2 0 $5.8M
2010-07-16 HeatBarton County, KS · forecast zone Barton One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $4.7M
2005-07-22 HeatDouglas County and Washington County, NE · forecast zone Douglas 0 0 $4.5M
2009-06-22 HeatHamilton County, NE · forecast zone Hamilton One storm episode: 5 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $3.4M
2020-08-14 Excessive HeatFresno County, CA · forecast zone Fresno One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $3.4M
2012-03-17 HeatClinton County, NY · forecast zone Eastern Clinton One storm episode: 9 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $2.8M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

What the record files under heat

NOAA event types in this group
Event typeRecordsYearsKilledDamage
Heat35,4031996-20264,046$755M
Excessive Heat21,3562000-20262,690$20M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event types as defined in NWS Instruction 10-1605.

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