PlainHazard

California heat

Every recorded heat record since 1996 · 56 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 2,691 heat records in California from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 105 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the July 16, 2006 heat: 46 deaths, 18 injuries and $721 million in damage in 2025 dollars across 4 records. California ranks 6th of 51 states and territories by count and 25th of 50 per square mile.

Heat in California, 1996 to 2026

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

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $1 million
  • $1 million or more
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
2,6911996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
105average
Deaths
230666 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$726Mas filed
Busiest year
2021405 records

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

Are heat records common in California?

California averages about 105 heat records a year since 2000, 6th of 51 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2021 (405). Per 10,000 square miles of land, California records 173 heat records since 1996, 25th of 50 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. New Jersey 2320
  2. 2. Delaware 1555
  3. 3. Maryland 1330
  4. 4. Oklahoma 685
  5. 5. Illinois 590
  6. 6. Mississippi 584
  7. 7. Louisiana 576
  8. 8. Missouri 547
  9. 9. Tennessee 540
  10. 10. Puerto Rico 537
  11. 25. California 173

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in California have the most heat records?

Per square mile, Sutter County leads California: 50 days with a heat record since 1996, 83.0 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Kern County has the most heat records (498 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

  1. Sutter County 83.0 (79)
  2. Orange County 64.3 (69)
  3. Solano County 58.4 (68)
  4. Kings County 53.9 (244)
  5. Mariposa County 53.1 (114)
  6. Calaveras County 52.0 (74)
  7. Sacramento County 49.7 (68)
  8. Yuba County 47.5 (44)
  9. Yolo County 46.4 (51)
  10. Marin County 44.2 (30)
  11. Merced County 41.3 (209)
  12. Madera County 37.0 (165)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the heat season in California?

51% of its heat records since 1996 fell in June and July. The busiest month is July (778 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 3 · Feb 7 · Mar 43 · Apr 46 · May 160 · Jun 596 · Jul 778 · Aug 585 · Sep 363 · Oct 77 · Nov 29 · Dec 4 (records).

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

What were the deadliest heat records in California?

California: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2006-07-16 HeatFresno County and 3 more · forecast zone E Central S.J. Valley One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. Arguably one of the hottest spells widespread across California, including Interior Central California, in the last 75 years occurred during a warm period that spanned from the 16th through the 27th of the month. Fresno City had 12 days in a row where maximum temperatures were at or above 105 degrees F. Numerous daily ... 46 18 $721M
2007-09-01 Excessive HeatLos Angeles County · forecast zone Los Angeles County Valleys One storm episode: 2 records, 2007-09-01 to 2007-09-03; the totals are the episode's. The heat wave which started at the end of August continued into the first few days of September. The combination of above normal temperatures and relative humidity continued to produce excessive heat conditions across sections of Southern California. At the end of the heat wave, 18 heat-related deaths were reported ... 18 0 –
2006-07-21 HeatRiverside County and San Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino County Valley/The Inland Empire One storm episode: 5 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. Strong high pressure centered over the southwest United States and monsoon moisture during the last half of July led to numerous daily high minimum and high maximum temperature records, some of which were all time records. The strong subsidence over Southern California caused an unprecedented heat wave and widespread ... 16 27 –
2017-06-18 Excessive HeatPlacer County and 4 more · forecast zone Southern Sacramento Valley One storm episode: 4 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. High pressure ridging brought an unusually long and strong heat wave for the month of June, with a remarkable 24 new record high temperatures and 16 record high minimum temperatures being set in the area. At the peak of the heat wave on the 21st, Redding reached 112, Red Bluff 113, Marysville 112, downtown Sacramento ... 10 2 –
2024-07-02 Excessive HeatSanta Clara County · forecast zone Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose One storm episode: 4 records in 2 places, 2024-07-02 to 2024-07-06; the totals are the episode's. A prolonged and extended heat wave impacted the state of California from the early to the middle of July. An upper level ridge set up over the region, leading to a historically long period of dangerous heat. The event resulted in the issuing of an Excessive Heat Warning for interior regions of the Bay Area and Central ... 10 0 –
2000-06-14 HeatSan Mateo County · forecast zone San Mateo One storm episode: 5 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. This unusual early summer record breaking heat wave was responsible for 10 deaths in the Bay Area and a large number of heat related injuries. Temperature record of 103 degrees in San Francisco tied the all time record high temperature. Other record highs for the day were Livermore had 107 degrees, Oakland 106 ... 9 102 –
2024-07-07 HeatSanta Clara County · forecast zone Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose Eight heat-related deaths were recorded in Santa Clara County from July 7 to 12. 8 0 –
2017-09-01 Excessive HeatSan Francisco County · forecast zone San Francisco One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A strong upper level ridge brought widespread hot temperatures to the Bay Area leading up to and through Labor Day Weekend. Numerous daily and monthly records were broken as well as a few all time record max temperatures. Six Bay Area residents died as a result of the heat. 6 0 –
2007-09-01 Excessive HeatRiverside County and San Bernardino County · forecast zone San Bernardino And Riverside County Valleys - The Inland Empire One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places, 2007-09-01 to 2007-09-03; the totals are the episode's. Strong high pressure and easterly flow brought hot, humid weather to much of Southern California. Temperatures exceeded 95 along the coast and in the mountains, 105 in the Orange and San Diego County valleys, 110 in the Inland Empire and high deserts, and 115 in the lower deserts. Humidity levels were quite high for ... 5 4 –
1997-08-02 HeatRiverside County · forecast zone Riverside County Valley/The Inland Empire One storm episode: 4 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 5 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest heat records in California

California: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2006-07-16 HeatFresno County and 3 more · forecast zone E Central S.J. Valley One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. 46 18 $721M
2020-08-14 Excessive HeatFresno County · forecast zone Fresno One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $3.4M
2019-08-02 Excessive HeatRiverside County · forecast zone Coachella Valley One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places, 2019-08-02 to 2019-08-04; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $1.7M
2009-05-17 HeatAlameda County and Contra Costa County · forecast zone East Bay Interior Valleys One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 11 $28K

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

Are heat records becoming more frequent in California?

California's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

Heat: California and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeCaliforniaUnited StatesCalifornia's share
1996-99344,3550.8%
2000s3659,1634.0%
2010s47916,4452.9%
2020-261,81326,7966.8%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent heat records in California

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatButte County · forecast zone Butte County Below 1000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatTehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley In Tehama County 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatTehama County · forecast zone Western Tehama County Foothills Between 1000-3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatTehama County · forecast zone Tehama County Coast Range Above 3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatTehama County and 2 more · forecast zone Sierra Nevada Of Tehama-Butte-Plumas Counties Between 1000-3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatShasta County · forecast zone Eastern Shasta County Foothills Between 1000-3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatShasta County · forecast zone South-Central Shasta County Including Redding Metro 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatShasta County · forecast zone Shasta Lake Area And Interstate 5 Between 1000-3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatShasta County · forecast zone Western Shasta County Foothills Between 1000-3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Excessive HeatShasta County · forecast zone Western Shasta County Mountains Above 3000 Ft 0 0 –
2026-03-20 HeatAlameda County and Contra Costa County · forecast zone East Bay Hills 0 0 –
2026-03-20 HeatMarin County and 2 more · forecast zone North Bay Interior Valleys 0 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

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