Sizzling Temperatures to Bring Extreme Heat Risk to These 25 Cities This Week

By Evan Comen • September 2, 2025

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Last week, Portland Public Schools released students early due to extreme heat in the area. The heat wave is continuing into this week, with several pockets of the Pacific Northwest forecast to experience extreme heat risk in the next few days.

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On Tuesday, 56 counties will experience moderate heat risk, representing 15.6 million Americans. While the heat wave will subside by the end of the week, dozens of cities are forecast to experience extreme heat risk – the most severe category of heat risk modeled by the National Weather Service. A closer look at the data reveals the cities with the greatest heat risk this weekend.

To determine the cities with the highest heat risk this week, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed data on heat risk from the NOAA’s National Weather Service. Cities were ranked based on average NWS HeatRisk score for the period September 2 to 4, 2025. Supplemental data on forecast temperature maximums are from the NOAA’s National Digital Forecast Database. Only cities with at least 75,000 residents were considered. Population data is from the U.S. Census Bureau.

25. Eugene, OR

Photo by Miguel Flores on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 83.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 91.5°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 89.5°F)
Total population: 176,755

24. Miami Beach, FL

Photo by Joël de Vriend on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 89.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 90.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 89.6°F)
Total population: 82,400

23. Hillsboro, OR

Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 83.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 91.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 91.7°F)
Total population: 106,612

22. Coral Springs, FL

Photo by DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 92.0°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 92.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 91.7°F)
Total population: 133,801

21. El Monte, CA

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 99.3°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 98.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 96.0°F)
Total population: 108,682

20. Burbank, CA

Photo by SirMazing Photography on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.1/4 (high of 99.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 98.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 1.9/4 (high of 95.9°F)
Total population: 106,389

19. Hialeah, FL

Photo by Martin Zangerl on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.1/4 (high of 91.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 92.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 91.6°F)
Total population: 222,996

18. Miami Gardens, FL

Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.1/4 (high of 91.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 92.0°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 90.8°F)
Total population: 111,618

17. Bend, OR

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.1/4 (high of 89.6°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 92.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 88.9°F)
Total population: 99,442

16. Bakersfield, CA

Photo by Fabio Sasso on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.5/4 (high of 104.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 1.8/4 (high of 102.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 1.8/4 (high of 100.0°F)
Total population: 404,321

15. South Gate, CA

Photo by Yena Kwon on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 3.0/4 (high of 93.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 93.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 1.3/4 (high of 91.3°F)
Total population: 92,381

14. McAllen, TX

Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 99.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 97.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.4/4 (high of 99.6°F)
Total population: 142,722

13. Boise City, ID

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 3.0/4 (high of 99.3°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 99.5°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 1.5/4 (high of 94.5°F)
Total population: 234,192

12. Fort Lauderdale, FL

Photo by Oskar Kadaksoo on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.6/4 (high of 91.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 92.3°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 91.2°F)
Total population: 182,673

11. Mission, TX

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 99.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 1.9/4 (high of 97.6°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.7/4 (high of 99.9°F)
Total population: 85,755

10. Visalia, CA

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.9/4 (high of 103.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 1.9/4 (high of 100.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 1.9/4 (high of 99.3°F)
Total population: 141,466

9. Downey, CA

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 3.0/4 (high of 94.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 95.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 1.7/4 (high of 92.9°F)
Total population: 113,052

8. Medford, OR

Photo by Diana Orey on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.9/4 (high of 93.8°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 100.9°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 97.0°F)
Total population: 85,539

7. Pharr, TX

Photo by Sandra Alekseeva on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.0/4 (high of 99.5°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.0/4 (high of 97.1°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.9/4 (high of 99.0°F)
Total population: 79,434

6. Beaverton, OR

Photo by Tara-mae Miller on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.5/4 (high of 83.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.6/4 (high of 91.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.0/4 (high of 91.7°F)
Total population: 97,554

5. Spokane Valley, WA

Photo by David Wilson on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.4/4 (high of 97.7°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.1/4 (high of 100.4°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.9/4 (high of 99.8°F)
Total population: 103,761

4. Spokane, WA

Photo by Kokia & Sawyer on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.6/4 (high of 97.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.3/4 (high of 100.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.9/4 (high of 99.6°F)
Total population: 227,922

3. Pasco, WA

Photo by Gabriel Sanchez on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.6/4 (high of 94.5°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 2.7/4 (high of 98.6°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 2.8/4 (high of 101.1°F)
Total population: 77,274

2. Yakima, WA

Photo by Peter Robbins on Unsplash

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.8/4 (high of 93.3°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 3.0/4 (high of 98.3°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 3.0/4 (high of 100.8°F)
Total population: 96,764

1. Kennewick, WA

Photo by Jay Brand on Pexels

NWS HeatRisk score, September 2, 2025: 2.9/4 (high of 94.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 3: 3.0/4 (high of 98.2°F)
NWS HeatRisk score, September 4: 3.0/4 (high of 100.8°F)
Total population: 83,823

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