What Cities See the Hottest Temperatures During the Summer

The start of the meteorological summer is Sunday, June 1. Nobody will feel these toasty impacts more than urban areas known for being the hottest in the country. While none of the major metropolitan areas in the U.S. compares to the heat felt in places such as Death Valley, California, the fact that millions of people call these sizzling cities home naturally compounds the impacts of the summer weather. Here is a look at the top 10 hottest cities with populations of 250,000 or greater across the nation.

Phoenix

It is no surprise to learn that Phoenix is the hottest major city in the U.S, particularly during the summer months. The mercury inches up over the century mark nearly every day from the end of May through the middle of September. The hottest days during the dog days of summer experience readings that soar up near 120 degrees.

What makes the heat even more dramatic in the Valley of the Sun is the fact that overnight lows also remain warm over the summer season. It is not unusual for the city of over 1.6 million people to see overnight lows that bottom out in the low 90s. With no break from the heat, cooling units have to work overtime to keep homes comfortable.

Las Vegas

Also in the Desert Southwest, the popular tourist destination of Las Vegas is distinguished by its sweltering summers. Sin City averages over 70 days each way with temperatures that reach the triple digits. The all-time heat record for Las Vegas was set in 2024 when the temperatures cracked the 120-degree mark for the first time.

While Las Vegas is not quite as hot as Phoenix on average, the large influx of tourists to the casino hotspot means that many people are not accustomed to the heat. Those traveling to nearby destinations such as Hoover Dam should also be cognizant of the potentially life-threatening heat.

Tucson, Arizona

About two hours southwest of Phoenix is the town of Tucson. Located on the fringe of the Sonoran Desert, this college town sizzles during the summer months with temperatures regularly hovering in the low 90s. Tucson hit a record in 2013 when the mercury hit the triple digits for 39 straight days.

The arrival of the North American monsoon season later in the summer can provide some degree of temporary relief from the heat. However, these storms are also prone to trigger dust storms known as haboobs. The swirling clouds of dust often present dangerous travel due to the reduced visibility

Riverside, California

The cool waters coming off of the Pacific Ocean generally work to mitigate the extreme heat for much of Southern California. However, this is not the case when moving farther inland. Communities such as Riverside bear the brunt of the summer heat in this part of the country, with triple-digit readings a possibility from March through November.

Located about 50 miles to the east of downtown Los Angeles, Riverside has an all-time high record of 118 degrees. This reading is just a few degrees lower than records set in Phoenix and Las Vegas.

San Antonio, Texas

The state of Texas is also home to some of the hottest cities in the U.S. San Antonio sits atop this list in the Lone Star State with consistent stretches of temperatures that bounce around in the 90s with little reprieve. In fact, the Alamo City notches temperatures over 90 degrees for over 110 days of the year on average. San Antonio's historical average high reading for the month of August is 97 degrees, making it one of the hottest major urban areas by the end of the summer.

Miami

The tropical location of Miami naturally makes it one of the nation's most extreme hot spots during the summer months. While the air temperatures do not soar to the same heights as some of the cities in the Southwest, the high humidity levels in Florida make the conditions feel even steamier.

Some people may be surprised to learn that Miami has only recorded a top temperature of 100 degrees just once since 1895. Instead, it is the combination of the intense sunshine and high humidity levels that sends the real feel readings over 110 during the peak of the summer months.

Likewise, Miami is also one of the warmest metro areas during the winter season. Afternoon highs typically bounce around between the mid 70s to the low 80s while the bulk of the nation shivers.

Houston

The most populated city in Texas is also one of its hottest. Houston's weather patterns are significantly influenced by the surge of moisture that comes up from the Gulf during the summer season. The humidity levels associated with the tropical moisture can send the real feel readings into the triple digits on a regular basis.

This moisture also works to support the development of frequent rain showers and thunderstorms for the city that is home to over two million people. As a result, Houston is also one of the wettest cities this time of the year.

Fresno, California

Heading back to California, the Central Valley is the state's hottest region in the summer. Temperatures regularly climb into the triple digits with Fresno bearing the brunt of this heat.

Home to about 500,000 residents, Fresno most recently saw 30 consecutive days of 100-degree temperatures in 2018. This was the longest stretch of heat of this magnitude in recorded history for the city.

Dallas

Although Dallas does not see the tropical moisture that its counterpart Houston experiences during the summer, it is still no stranger to the heat. The absence of frequent rain showers in the metroplex keeps the temperatures elevated during the summer. Dallas and Fort Worth regularly see daily highs approach the upper 80s beginning at the end of June and persisting into early September.

Orlando, Florida

The city of Orlando in Central Florida rounds out the top 10 list of the hottest metro areas in the U.S. during the summer. While Orlando is not as populated as cities such as Miami, it hosts over 75 million tourists on average each year who flock to its many theme parks.

Temperatures in Orlando are capable of reaching the 100-degree mark on occasion. The all-time record for the Magic City is 103 degrees. The mercury also remains consistently warm overnight, rarely falling below the 60-degree barrier from June through September.

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