District of Columbia heat

Every recorded heat record since 1996 · 1 county with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 70 heat records in District of Columbia from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 3.3 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the July 4, 1999 heat in District of Columbia: 3 deaths and 140 injuries. District of Columbia ranks 44th of 51 states and territories by count.

Heat in District of Columbia, 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: 701996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000: 3.3average
Deaths: 8317 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: –as filed
Busiest year: 20117 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 District of Columbia?

District of Columbia averages about 3.3 heat records a year since 2000, 44th of 51 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2011 (7).

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.

When is the heat season in District of Columbia?

73% of its heat records since 1996 fell in July and August. The busiest month is July (37 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 2 · Feb 0 · Mar 2 · Apr 0 · May 2 · Jun 13 · Jul 37 · Aug 14 · Sep 0 · Oct 0 · Nov 0 · Dec 0 (records).

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

What were the deadliest heat records in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
1999-07-04	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia High pressure sat off the Mid-Atlantic coast from the 4th through the 7th, acting like a heat pump drawing extremely warm and humid air into the region. Temperatures on the 4th through early on the 7th were oppressively hot, and extremely humid conditions added to the misery. These conditions continued until a cold ...	3	140	–
1997-07-13	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia The combination of antecedent dry weather, a persistent upper-level high pressure area, and the time of year produced a bona-fide heat wave in the District of Columbia during the middle of the month. Unlike events of previous years, the heat index was not quite as oppressive. Nonetheless, daytime high temperatures ...	2	150	–
2006-08-01	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia Excessive heat conditions occurred on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, August 1-3, in Washington, DC. Afternoon heat index values ranged between 105 to as high as 115 degrees. Two people lost their lives in The District due to the excessive heat conditions during this heat wave.	2	0	–
1997-08-16	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia West winds circulating around a "Bermuda" high pressure system allowed temperatures to soar during the weekend of the 16th and 17th. Record maximum temperatures were achieved on both days. On the 16th, the previous record of 95 degrees was shattered as the mercury soared to 102. On the 17th, a brief shot of ...	1	25	–

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.

Are heat records becoming more frequent in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia'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: District of Columbia and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
Decade	District of Columbia	United States	District of Columbia's share
1996-99	10	4,355	0.23%
2000s	19	9,163	0.21%
2010s	31	16,445	0.19%
2020-26	10	26,796	0.04%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent heat records in District of Columbia

The 8 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2025-06-24	Excessive HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	0	0	–
2025-06-23	Excessive HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	0	0	–
2006-08-01	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	2	0	–
2000-05-06	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	0	1	–
1999-07-04	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	3	140	–
1997-08-16	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	1	25	–
1997-07-13	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	2	150	–
1996-05-18	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	0	1	–

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.