Posted on by Bert

Sizzling Cities ranked – our new Heat Index

Which metros suffer through the summer, and where do residents just chill out?

We just released our new Sperling Heat Index, and I’m pretty excited about it.  It not only uses the average summer high temperature, but also includes the nighttime low temperature and dew point (a measure of humidity).

Of the 50 largest metro areas in the United States, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Houston have the hottest summers, and Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland have the coolest. (A full list of the 50 metros is at the end of this post, and a ranking of all 361 U.S. metros is available for download here.)

Top Ten Sizzling Cities (of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas)

Rank Metro Heat Index Average high temp Nighttime low temp  Dew point Relative humdity at high temp
1 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ 97.7 104.5 77.0 55.7 20%
2 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 94.4 103.1 75.2 42.2 13%
3 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX 92.4 94.9 73.1 67.5 41%
4 Houston-Sugar Land, TX 92.3 92.0 74.3 72.9 54%
5 Austin-Round Rock, TX 92.2 94.8 72.3 69.1 44%
6 San Antonio, TX 92.1 94.4 72.6 69.3 44%
7 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL 92.0 90.3 75.3 73.1 57%
8 New Orleans-Metairie, LA 91.7 90.7 74.5 73.2 57%
9 Orlando-Kissimmee, FL 91.6 91.9 73.3 72.4 53%
10 Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL 91.5 90.8 73.9 73.0 56%

(full list of 50 at the end of this post)
Click here to get the all the supporting data in a spreadsheet, including high temperatures, nighttime temperatures, dew point and relative humidity.

Our Sizzling Cities ranking is certainly about comfort, but it’s also about safety.  For residents of all ages, extreme hot weather can be fatal.  Our Heat Index provides a way to predict how uncomfortable, and dangerous, summer in a city is likely to be.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 650 people die annually from heat-related causes.  In developing the new heat index, my research team examined past patterns of these deaths to hone the accuracy of our model.

Besides the obvious risk to the ill and elderly, young healthy adults and teens can also die because they are unaware of the risk of exercising in hot, humid weather.  High humidity can be especially deadly because it prevents sweat from evaporating and cooling the body.

The Sperling’s Heat Index is unique in that it includes the nighttime low temperature in the calculation.  According to experts, a lack of nighttime cooling can be more dangerous than an extreme daytime temperature.  “Nighttime heat is especially bad,” said Eli Jacks, chief of fire and public weather services at the National Weather Service, “because your body never has a chance to recover.”

Because of the humidity, the heat in Houston feels nearly as extreme as that in Las Vegas, even though Houston has an average July high temperature over ten degrees cooler.  After the desert metros of Phoenix and Las Vegas, the nation’s top “hotspots” are found around the Gulf of Mexico, in the states of Texas, Florida, and Louisiana.

At the other end of the Sizzling Cities rankings are the Chill Cities, where residents can expect to enjoy a more comfortable summer than the rest of the nation.  As one might expect, Seattle, San Francisco and Portland are the three most comfortable places to spend the summer, followed by Denver, San Jose, and Buffalo.  These and other cool summer spots have a moderate high summer temperature, with cool evenings, and humidity that rarely becomes uncomfortable.

Here’s the full list of the 50 largest metro areas, ranked by the new heat index.
Click here to get the all the supporting data in a spreadsheet, including high temperatures, nighttime temperatures, dew point and relative humidity.

Rank Metro Heat Index
1 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 97.7
2 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 94.4
3 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 92.4
4 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 92.3
5 Austin-Round Rock, TX 92.2
6 San Antonio, TX 92.1
7 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL 92.0
8 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 91.7
9 Orlando-Kissimmee, FL 91.6
10 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 91.5
11 Jacksonville, FL 90.8
12 Oklahoma City, OK 90.5
13 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 90.3
14 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 89.3
15 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 88.4
16 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC 87.8
17 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 87.5
18 Raleigh-Cary, NC 87.4
19 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 86.9
20 Richmond, VA 86.6
21 Kansas City, MO-KS 86.4
22 St. Louis, MO-IL 86.1
23 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 85.9
24 Baltimore-Towson, MD 85.6
25 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 84.7
26 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 84.4
27 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 83.6
28 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 83.0
29 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 82.0
30 Columbus, OH 81.6
31 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA 81.5
32 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA 81.1
33 Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI 80.8
34 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 80.3
35 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 80.0
36 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 79.9
37 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA 79.8
38 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 79.7
39 Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA 79.5
40 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH 79.1
41 Pittsburgh, PA 79.0
42 Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI 79.0
43 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 78.6
44 Salt Lake City, UT 77.7
45 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 77.6
46 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 76.2
47 Denver-Aurora, CO 74.1
48 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 73.6
49 Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA 72.6
50 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 70.3

And here is the full ranking of all 361 metro areas by the Sperling Heat Index.

Rank Metro name Population Heat Index
1 Yuma, AZ 195,751 99.9
2 El Centro, CA 174,528 99.5
3 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 4,192,887 97.7
4 Laredo, TX 250,304 96.1
5 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 774,769 95.0
6 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 1,951,269 94.4
7 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 406,220 94.1
8 Corpus Christi, TX 428,185 93.6
9 Victoria, TX 115,384 93.2
10 Waco, TX 234,906 93.0
11 College Station-Bryan, TX 228,660 92.9
12 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 6,371,773 92.4
13 Wichita Falls, TX 151,306 92.4
14 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 5,946,800 92.3
15 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 618,754 92.2
16 Austin-Round Rock, TX 1,716,289 92.2
17 San Antonio, TX 2,142,508 92.1
18 Tucson, AZ 980,263 92.1
19 Punta Gorda, FL 159,978 92.0
20 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL 5,564,635 92.0
21 Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL 168,852 91.9
22 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 405,300 91.9
23 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 388,745 91.9
24 Lakeland, FL 602,095 91.8
25 Lake Charles, LA 199,607 91.8
26 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 1,167,785 91.7
27 Lawton, OK 124,098 91.7
28 Naples-Marco Island, FL 321,520 91.7
29 Orlando-Kissimmee, FL 2,134,411 91.6
30 Longview, TX 214,369 91.6
31 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 208,178 91.6
32 Savannah, GA 347,611 91.5
33 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 2,783,243 91.5
34 Sherman-Denison, TX 120,877 91.4
35 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 398,604 91.4
36 Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA 77,917 91.3
37 Alexandria, LA 153,922 91.3
38 Brunswick, GA 112,370 91.3
39 Tyler, TX 209,714 91.2
40 Lafayette, LA 273,738 91.2
41 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 702,281 91.1
42 Abilene, TX 165,252 91.1
43 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR 136,027 91.1
44 Ocala, FL 331,298 91.1
45 Port St. Lucie, FL 424,107 91.0
46 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 543,376 91.0
47 Baton Rouge, LA 802,484 90.9
48 Jacksonville, FL 1,345,596 90.8
49 Mobile, AL 412,992 90.8
50 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 448,991 90.7
51 Pine Bluff, AR 100,258 90.7
52 Monroe, LA 176,441 90.7
53 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 248,820 90.7
54 Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 138,028 90.6
55 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 664,607 90.6
56 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 494,593 90.5
57 Albany, GA 157,308 90.5
58 Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL 180,822 90.5
59 Oklahoma City, OK 1,252,987 90.5
60 San Angelo, TX 111,823 90.4
61 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 4,224,851 90.3
62 Tallahassee, FL 367,413 90.3
63 Dothan, AL 145,639 90.2
64 Midland, TX 136,872 90.2
65 Odessa, TX 137,130 90.2
66 Pascagoula, MS 162,246 90.1
67 Gainesville, FL 264,275 90.1
68 Tuscaloosa, AL 219,461 90.0
69 Jackson, MS 539,057 90.0
70 Warner Robins, GA 139,900 90.0
71 Columbus, GA-AL 294,865 90.0
72 Valdosta, GA 139,588 89.9
73 Tulsa, OK 937,478 89.9
74 Hattiesburg, MS 142,842 89.9
75 Florence, SC 205,566 89.9
76 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 699,757 89.6
77 Columbia, SC 767,598 89.5
78 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 556,877 89.4
79 Montgomery, AL 374,536 89.4
80 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 1,316,100 89.3
81 Wilmington, NC 362,315 89.2
82 Fayetteville, NC 366,383 89.2
83 Sumter, SC 107,456 89.2
84 Gadsden, AL 104,430 89.1
85 Goldsboro, NC 122,623 89.1
86 Fort Smith, AR-OK 298,592 89.1
87 Macon, GA 232,293 89.1
88 Jonesboro, AR 121,026 89.1
89 El Paso, TX 800,647 89.0
90 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 269,291 89.0
91 Greenville, NC 189,510 88.8
92 Hot Springs, AR 96,024 88.7
93 Auburn-Opelika, AL 140,247 88.5
94 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 1,128,047 88.4
95 Anniston-Oxford, AL 118,572 88.4
96 Rome, GA 96,317 88.0
97 Wichita, KS 623,061 88.0
98 Jackson, TN 115,425 87.9
99 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC 1,758,038 87.8
100 Rocky Mount, NC 152,392 87.8
101 Lubbock, TX 284,890 87.7
102 Anderson, SC 187,126 87.7
103 Jacksonville, NC 177,772 87.6
104 Huntsville, AL 417,593 87.6
105 Athens-Clarke County, GA 192,541 87.6
106 Decatur, AL 153,829 87.5
107 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 1,671,683 87.5
108 Raleigh-Cary, NC 1,130,490 87.4
109 Joplin, MO 175,518 87.4
110 Owensboro, KY 114,752 87.3
111 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 147,137 87.3
112 Las Cruces, NM 209,233 87.0
113 Spartanburg, SC 284,307 87.0
114 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 152,982 87.0
115 Clarksville, TN-KY 273,949 87.0
116 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 5,268,860 86.9
117 Evansville, IN-KY 358,676 86.8
118 Dalton, GA 142,227 86.8
119 Burlington, NC 151,131 86.7
120 Lawrence, KS 110,826 86.7
121 Richmond, VA 1,258,251 86.6
122 Gainesville, GA 179,684 86.4
123 Greensboro-High Point, NC 723,801 86.4
124 Kansas City, MO-KS 2,035,334 86.4
125 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 463,204 86.3
126 Durham, NC 504,357 86.2
127 Columbia, MO 172,786 86.2
128 Topeka, KS 233,870 86.2
129 Bowling Green, KY 125,953 86.2
130 St. Louis, MO-IL 2,812,896 86.1
131 Bakersfield, CA 839,631 86.1
132 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 1,589,934 85.9
133 Dover, DE 162,310 85.9
134 Salisbury, MD 125,203 85.8
135 Honolulu, HI 953,207 85.8
136 Jefferson City, MO 149,807 85.7
137 St. George, UT 138,115 85.7
138 Prescott, AZ 211,033 85.7
139 Baltimore-Towson, MD 2,710,489 85.6
140 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC 636,986 85.5
141 Springfield, MO 436,712 85.4
142 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 365,497 85.3
143 Danville, VA 106,561 85.3
144 Modesto, CA 514,453 85.1
145 St. Joseph, MO-KS 127,329 85.1
146 Knoxville, TN 698,030 85.0
147 Amarillo, TX 249,881 85.0
148 Merced, CA 255,793 84.9
149 Chattanooga, TN-GA 528,143 84.8
150 Lincoln, NE 302,157 84.7
151 Winston-Salem, NC 477,717 84.7
152 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 1,283,566 84.7
153 Madera, CA 150,865 84.6
154 Cleveland, TN 115,788 84.6
155 Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 156,898 84.5
156 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,582,170 84.4
157 Fresno, CA 930,450 84.3
158 Decatur, IL 110,768 84.3
159 Elizabethtown, KY 119,736 84.2
160 Charlottesville, VA 201,559 84.1
161 Atlantic City, NJ 274,549 84.1
162 Morristown, TN 136,608 83.8
163 Lexington-Fayette, KY 472,099 83.8
164 Roanoke, VA 308,707 83.8
165 Columbus, IN 76,794 83.7
166 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 5,965,343 83.6
167 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 865,350 83.6
168 Terre Haute, IN 172,425 83.5
169 Springfield, IL 210,170 83.4
170 Charleston, WV 304,284 83.3
171 Ocean City, NJ 97,265 83.2
172 Visalia-Porterville, CA 442,179 83.2
173 Trenton-Ewing, NJ 366,513 83.2
174 Iowa City, IA 152,586 83.1
175 Danville, IL 81,625 83.1
176 Chico, CA 220,000 83.1
177 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 413,344 83.0
178 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 2,130,151 83.0
179 York-Hanover, PA 434,972 82.9
180 Peoria, IL 379,186 82.9
181 Lynchburg, VA 252,634 82.8
182 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 309,544 82.7
183 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 379,690 82.7
184 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 287,702 82.7
185 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 569,633 82.7
186 Kankakee-Bradley, IL 113,449 82.6
187 Lancaster, PA 519,445 82.5
188 Dayton, OH 841,502 82.5
189 Johnson City, TN 198,716 82.5
190 Bloomington, IN 192,714 82.4
191 Bloomington-Normal, IL 169,572 82.3
192 Champaign-Urbana, IL 231,891 82.2
193 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 269,140 82.2
194 Sandusky, OH 77,079 82.1
195 Muncie, IN 117,671 82.1
196 Stockton, CA 685,306 82.1
197 Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH 162,056 82.1
198 Reading, PA 411,442 82.0
199 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 1,756,241 82.0
200 Lafayette, IN 201,789 81.9
201 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 549,475 81.8
202 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 143,577 81.8
203 Winchester, VA-WV 128,472 81.8
204 Columbus, OH 1,836,536 81.6
205 Harrisonburg, VA 125,228 81.6
206 Rockford, IL 349,431 81.5
207 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA 18,897,109 81.5
208 Toledo, OH 651,429 81.4
209 Anderson, IN 131,636 81.4
210 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 916,829 81.3
211 New Haven-Milford, CT 862,477 81.3
212 Yuba City, CA 166,892 81.2
213 Ames, IA 89,542 81.2
214 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA 12,828,837 81.1
215 Lima, OH 106,331 81.1
216 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 111,467 81.1
217 Cedar Rapids, IA 257,940 81.1
218 Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 156,813 81.1
219 Wheeling, WV-OH 147,950 81.0
220 Dubuque, IA 93,653 81.0
221 Farmington, NM 130,044 80.9
222 Cumberland, MD-WV 103,299 80.8
223 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 821,173 80.8
224 Pueblo, CO 159,063 80.8
225 Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI 9,461,106 80.8
226 Lebanon, PA 133,568 80.8
227 Springfield, OH 138,333 80.7
228 Kokomo, IN 98,688 80.7
229 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 167,819 80.6
230 Sioux Falls, SD 228,261 80.6
231 Fort Wayne, IN 416,257 80.5
232 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 124,454 80.4
233 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 3,095,313 80.3
234 Asheville, NC 424,858 80.3
235 Monroe, MI 152,021 80.2
236 Norwich-New London, CT 274,055 80.1
237 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 2,077,240 80.0
238 Janesville, WI 160,331 80.0
239 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 197,559 79.9
240 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 1,212,381 79.9
241 Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA 2,149,127 79.8
242 Lewiston, ID-WA 60,888 79.8
243 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 670,301 79.7
244 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,279,833 79.7
245 Williamsport, PA 116,111 79.7
246 Ogden-Clearfield, UT 547,184 79.6
247 Akron, OH 703,200 79.6
248 Provo-Orem, UT 526,810 79.6
249 Redding, CA 177,223 79.6
250 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 326,589 79.5
251 Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA 1,600,852 79.5
252 Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA 253,340 79.5
253 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 319,224 79.4
254 La Crosse, WI-MN 133,665 79.3
255 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH 4,552,262 79.1
256 Canton-Massillon, OH 404,422 79.0
257 Pittsburgh, PA 2,356,285 79.0
258 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 166,994 79.0
259 Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI 4,296,250 79.0
260 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 464,036 78.9
261 Racine, WI 195,408 78.8
262 Madison, WI 568,593 78.8
263 Ann Arbor, MI 344,791 78.8
264 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 162,958 78.7
265 Jackson, MI 160,248 78.7
266 Rochester, MN 186,011 78.6
267 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 263,801 78.6
268 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 1,555,908 78.6
269 Flagstaff, AZ 134,421 78.6
270 Barnstable Town, MA 215,888 78.6
271 Mansfield, OH 124,475 78.5
272 Albuquerque, NM 887,077 78.5
273 Battle Creek, MI 136,146 78.4
274 Altoona, PA 127,089 78.4
275 Grand Junction, CO 146,723 78.3
276 Morgantown, WV 129,709 78.3
277 Fargo, ND-MN 208,777 78.2
278 Rochester, NY 1,054,323 78.1
279 Fond du Lac, WI 101,633 78.1
280 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 565,773 78.1
281 Bay City, MI 107,771 78.1
282 St. Cloud, MN 189,093 78.0
283 Greeley, CO 252,825 78.0
284 Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 200,169 78.0
285 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 774,160 78.0
286 Appleton, WI 225,666 77.9
287 Yakima, WA 243,231 77.9
288 Reno-Sparks, NV 425,417 77.8
289 Boise City-Nampa, ID 616,561 77.8
290 Flint, MI 425,790 77.8
291 Salt Lake City, UT 1,124,197 77.7
292 Erie, PA 280,566 77.7
293 Glens Falls, NY 128,923 77.7
294 Manchester-Nashua, NH 400,721 77.6
295 Eau Claire, WI 161,151 77.6
296 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 1,135,509 77.6
297 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 870,716 77.5
298 Bismarck, ND 108,779 77.4
299 Johnstown, PA 143,679 77.4
300 Sheboygan, WI 115,507 77.3
301 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 172,188 77.3
302 Worcester, MA 798,552 77.2
303 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA 563,631 77.2
304 Rapid City, SD 126,382 77.0
305 Santa Fe, NM 144,170 77.0
306 Syracuse, NY 662,577 76.9
307 Logan, UT-ID 125,442 76.7
308 Napa, CA 136,484 76.7
309 Burlington-South Burlington, VT 211,261 76.7
310 Elmira, NY 88,830 76.7
311 Springfield, MA 692,942 76.6
312 State College, PA 153,990 76.4
313 Ithaca, NY 101,564 76.3
314 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,836,911 76.2
315 Billings, MT 158,050 76.2
316 Lewiston-Auburn, ME 107,702 76.1
317 Binghamton, NY 251,725 76.1
318 Wenatchee, WA 110,884 76.1
319 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME 514,098 76.0
320 Carson City, NV 55,274 76.0
321 Casper, WY 75,450 75.9
322 Grand Forks, ND-MN 98,461 75.8
323 Kingston, NY 182,493 75.8
324 Wausau, WI 134,063 75.7
325 Green Bay, WI 306,241 75.7
326 Pittsfield, MA 131,219 75.6
327 Cheyenne, WY 91,738 75.3
328 Pocatello, ID 90,656 75.3
329 Medford, OR 203,206 75.1
330 Bangor, ME 153,923 75.0
331 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 823,318 74.7
332 Utica-Rome, NY 299,397 74.5
333 Denver-Aurora, CO 2,543,487 74.1
334 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 4,335,391 73.6
335 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 423,895 73.5
336 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 483,878 73.2
337 Idaho Falls, ID 130,374 73.2
338 Duluth, MN-WI 279,771 72.8
339 Coeur d’Alene, ID 138,494 72.7
340 Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA 2,226,009 72.6
341 Corvallis, OR 85,579 72.6
342 Spokane, WA 471,221 72.6
343 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 269,637 72.6
344 Great Falls, MT 81,327 72.0
345 Longview, WA 102,410 71.8
346 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 299,630 71.8
347 Salem, OR 390,738 71.7
348 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 251,133 71.6
349 Eugene-Springfield, OR 351,715 71.5
350 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 262,382 70.8
351 Bellingham, WA 201,140 70.5
352 Missoula, MT 109,299 70.5
353 Olympia, WA 252,264 70.3
354 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,439,809 70.3
355 Colorado Springs, CO 645,613 70.2
356 Boulder, CO 294,567 70.2
357 Salinas, CA 415,057 70.1
358 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 116,901 69.9
359 Bend, OR 157,733 68.9
360 Fairbanks, AK 97,581 66.7
361 Anchorage, AK 380,821 63.7

Click here to get the all the supporting data in a spreadsheet, including high temperatures, nighttime temperatures, dew point and relative humidity.

 

16 Replies to “Sizzling Cities ranked – our new Heat Index”

  2. How are the non daily-high’s incorporated into the calculation? It seems that cities like Tucson would feel cooler during more hours of a 24 hour period than say Miami because dry climates cool off much faster than humid ones, leaving a good portion of night and morning cooler. It would be my guess that Tucson feels hotter than Miami for 6-8 hours of the afternoon, but the rest of the time it would feel cooler. Having cool morning hours for a bit of outside work or a chance for heat relief is key for making it through those summer months.

    All of that is to say I would’ve expected the index to put southwestern cities lower.
    Thanks for putting out the list. Really interesting!

    Reply

  3. Hi, Bert. I just found this page today and find it useful. I’m particularly interested in the spreadsheet showing all the data associated with your analysis but when I click on that link, I get a ‘not found’ error message.

    Any chance you might still have that data available, and be willing to share it with me/us?

    Thanks in advance for all you do re: weather analysis.

    Reply

  5. While currently living in the Sacramento area, we are thinking of moving to Asheville, NC. We also briefly lived in Knoxville, TN. I’m just curious how much less oppressive the heat feels in Asheville, as compared with Knoxville? According to your list, Asheville is 5 degrees cooler in the summer. And I’m guessing (and hoping) that the nights cool off a little faster as well, considering you’re up in the mountains there. Thoughts?

    Reply

  7. Hi Bert,

    Thanks for the valuable info. I would be curious to see monthly averages for various cities in addition to just the summer months. I live in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area and people think we have snow 8 months of the year! It certainly has warm summer days, but the seasons are a good break up throughout the year.

    Reply

  10. Greetins,
    Your ranking of Sizzling Cities is Very Interesting and I am sure of great benefit to many people. As For Me- I am a Cool Climate Person Who Lives At An Altitude of 8,600Ft. In The Cool Rocky Mountains In Colorado. I Move To Colorado In The 1980s from the midwest because I hated the heat and humidity. And Now I Am Living A Comfotable Life In-Spite of The Amout Of Snow we Get Up Here In The Beautiful Rocky Mountains.
    Sincerely – A Colorado Resident

    Reply

  11. Hi Bert,
    As you know, Im looking for a second home somewhere its a little warmer…and per your reccomendation: “..Maybe I can help you out with that “winter comfort” list when the time comes”…I would love any insights and suggestions you might offer…maybe similar type places…Im thinking lower oregon upper ca…by the water…any place near there youd reccomend…could you maybe describe the typical winter weather for that region…if ice common, Ill want to go further south…

    Reply

    1. Hi Gregory,
      Here are some thoughts. Southern Oregon, south of Eugene is hotter in the summer, cooler in the winter, and also drier than the Willamette Valley cities to the north (Portland, Salem , Eugene, Corvallis, Albany). Ashland is especially sophisticated but pricey for that part of the state, and nearby Medford is nice. Roseburg, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls are all smaller than Medford and nice alternatives for an unpretentious small town lifestyle.
      As you get into California, you get into the mountains of the Shasta National Forest. There you’re getting into serious winter snowfall in the towns of Weed, Shasta, and Dunsmuir. I especially like the crags and peaks around Dunsmuir, but I imagine the winter weather could be overwhelming at times. As you leave the forest and descend into the northern end of the state’s Central Valley, you trade the winter snow for some truly breathtaking summer heat in Redding (100 deg average in July).
      Just remember there are plenty of town located in the high desert, where the temperature often dips below freezing at night but snow and ice is a rarity because it’s so dry.
      Good luck with your search,
      Bert

      Reply

  12. I really like your new “Sizzling Cities ranked – our new Heat Index”…I live in Buffalo and love the summers here…not too crazy about the winters though…looking for a second home somewhere its a little warmer (in the US winter)…so basically the same list only showing the avg winter “heat index” of cities…

    Reply

    1. Hi Gregory,
      Thanks for the info! Data can provide some insight but there’s nothing like real ‘feet on the street’ reporting. I rely on feedback like yours to help decide if I’m on the right track in developing our analytical models.
      I’m glad you mentioned winter comfort because I’ve been playing around with an index for that. I think this is more difficult because basically nobody likes when then temperature gets into the 90’s and it’s humid. But some people love some snow in the winter, and don’t mind the cold. Others tolerate the gloomy drizzle of the Northwest with mild temps that rarely get below freezing. And many people can’t stand when the temperature dips below 60. So it seems to me that it’s hard to pick the ideal winter climate.
      What are your thoughts? Maybe I can help you out with that “winter comfort” list when the time comes.
      Best,
      Bert

      Reply

    2. cant wait to move to Colorado!!! This Louisiana heat and humidity is unbearable. Can’t imagine what it’s like to go outside and not perspire beginning in April-October!

      Reply

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