Does Your Hometown Crack the Top 10 for Hottest Cities in the U.S.?

Death Valley, California, is undoubtedly distinguished as the hottest place in the U.S., which helps to explain why it is not a major tourist destination during the summer months. However, what about some of the U.S. locales that do attract visitors during the busy travel season? Here is a look at some of the hottest cities in the U.S. with populations over 250,000.

Desert Southwest Heat

Phoenix sizzles during the summer months, with highs routinely hitting the triple digits from the end of May through the middle of September. The home to over 1.6 million people can also spend several days in the 110s each summer. With overnight lows that often fail to fall below the 90-degree mark, it is easy to see why the Valley of the Sun never cools down.

To the south, the college town of Tucson, Arizona, is also one of the nation's hot spots. Located at the edge of the Sonoran Desert, Tucson is nearly as hot as Phoenix. The onset of the North American monsoon season in July can provide a bit of a break from the heat during the afternoon hours in this part of the Grand Canyon State. However, the dust storms associated with the monsoon storms present their own set of concerns.

Las Vegas is a popular tourist destination at any time of the year, even during the summer when the mercury regularly hits 100 degrees or greater. The all-time heat record for Sin City is 120 degrees, notched just two years ago. While there is plenty of air conditioning to cool off while visiting the famed Strip, tourists traveling to nearby Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon will want to prepare for extreme heat and take the appropriate precautions.