Tennessee heat
Every recorded heat record since 1996 · 56 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 2,227 heat records in Tennessee from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 115 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the August 5, 2007 heat in Shelby County: 14 deaths and 188 injuries across 2 records. Tennessee ranks 10th of 51 states and territories by count and 9th of 50 per square mile.
Heat in Tennessee, 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
- 2,2271996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 115average
- Deaths
- 82233 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $135Kas filed
- Busiest year
- 2025549 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee averages about 115 heat records a year since 2000, 10th of 51 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2025 (549). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Tennessee records 540 heat records since 1996, 9th of 50 states and territories by that measure.
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 Tennessee have the most heat records?
Per square mile, Lake County leads Tennessee: 101 days with a heat record since 1996, 609.2 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Shelby County has the most heat records (135 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).
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 Tennessee?
78% of its heat records since 1996 fell in July and August. The busiest month is July (1,130 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 0 · Feb 0 · Mar 0 · Apr 0 · May 2 · Jun 494 · Jul 1,130 · Aug 600 · Sep 1 · 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 Tennessee?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-05 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A severe heat wave brought high temperatures near or above the 100 degree mark during most of the month of August. The unusually warm temperatures combined with high dew points produced heat index values of 105 degrees or greater during the heat wave. Numerous heat related injuries and fatalities were reported across ... | 14 | 188 | – | |
| 2009-06-17 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A heat wave affected much of the MidSouth during the period between June 17th and June 28th as an upper ridge of high pressure built over the region. High temperatures soared into the mid to upper 90s with a few days topping out at or just above 100 degrees. Nighttime lows remained in the upper 70s to lower 80s and ... | 9 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-08-01 | Excessive HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2010-08-01 to 2010-08-03; the totals are the episode's. An upper level ridge of high pressure further intensified over the Mid-South continuing from the end of July into the beginning of August. The upper ridge of high pressure produced above normal temperatures over the area. The combination of high humidity and above normal temperatures produced high heat indices of ... | 7 | 4 | – | |
| 2010-06-18 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A prolonged heat wave occurred during the middle to latter part of June across the Mid-South as a strong upper ridge of high pressure moved over the region. Temperatures rose into the mid to upper 90s during the afternoon hours. The combination of highs in the mid to upper 90s and high humidity produced heat indices ... | 6 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-06-03 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. The first heat wave of the summer season arrived in the Mid-South during the beginning part of June. High temperatures reached into the mid to upper 90s while heat index reached between 105 to 109 degrees. Warm temperatures continued into the middle of June. At least four heat-related deaths occurred across the area ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-08-10 | Excessive HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby Heat index readings ranged between 110 and 120 degrees during the afternoon and early evening hours. Four heat related deaths occurred as a result. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-07-01 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby Heat indices rose between 105 and 110 degrees during the afternoon hours. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-07 | Excessive HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. A strong upper ridge of high pressure moved over the Mid-South during the beginning of August. As a result...very hot temperatures with readings near 100 degrees combined with humid conditions to produce dangerous heat indices between 110 to 120 degrees. Three deaths occurred as a result. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-08-02 | HeatRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford Two young children died of heat stroke in Smyrna after being left in a vehicle for several hours during the afternoon of August 2. The high temperature reached a daily record of 99 degrees at the nearby Nashville International Airport. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-07-25 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby Heat indices rose between 105 and 110 degrees. | 2 | 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 Tennessee
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-08-04 | Excessive HeatDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson | 0 | 25 | $135K |
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 Tennessee?
Tennessee'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.
| Decade | Tennessee | United States | Tennessee's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 2 | 4,355 | 0.0% |
| 2000s | 34 | 9,163 | 0.4% |
| 2010s | 646 | 16,445 | 3.9% |
| 2020-26 | 1,545 | 26,796 | 5.8% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent heat records in Tennessee
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HeatWeakley County · forecast zone Weakley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatTipton County · forecast zone Tipton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatShelby County · forecast zone Shelby | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatMcNairy County · forecast zone McNairy | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatLauderdale County · forecast zone Lauderdale | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatLake County · forecast zone Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatHenry County · forecast zone Henry | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatHaywood County · forecast zone Haywood | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | HeatHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 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.
Next
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