These Cities Likely To Break Heat Records As Heat Waves Slam Different Parts of the U.S.

By Evan Comen • July 28, 2025

https://climate-crisis-247-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/07211300/Forecast-maximum-temperature-July-28th-to-July-30th-2025-150x150.png

While millions of Americans were exposed to major heat risk this past weekend, the heat wave is forecast to peak on Tuesday. Temperatures will breach 100°F in hundreds of counties, setting record highs in dozens of cities and exposing millions Americans to extreme heat risk.

Not in Kansas anymore? Tornado Alley Is Expanding South Into These Cities
Hot property? From Maui to Malibu, These Affluent Enclaves Are Becoming Wildfire Hotspots

Nationwide, 1,441 counties are under heat advisories or extreme heat warnings from the National Weather Service, representing more than one-third of the U.S. population. While 3.4 million Americans will be exposed to extreme heat risk – the most dangerous category of heat risk – on Monday, that number will rise to 8.8 million on Tuesday, spread across 80 counties.

More than two dozen major cities are forecast to break daily temperature records. While Atlanta temperatures could exceed daily records by 1.8°F, some cities could see records shattered by more than 3°F. A closer look at the data reveals the cities most likely to break heat records this weekend.

To determine the cities most likely to break heat records this weekend, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed 72-hour temperature forecasts and historical daily records from the NOAA. Cities were ranked based on the gap between forecast highs for July 28 to July 30, 2025, and historical maximum temperatures for those dates. Gridded forecast data are from the National Digital Forecast Database, while historical temperatures are from the Global Historical Climatology Network daily program of the National Centers for Environmental Information. Weather stations were matched to places using nearest neighbor analysis and were limited to cities within 50 miles of the city centroid. Only cities with at least 65,000 residents were considered.

25. Norwalk, CT

Photo by Nicholas Bartos on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 82.2°F (-10.8°F below 1963 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 85.4°F (-7.6°F above 1963 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 90.1°F (+0.1°F below 1963 record)
Total population: 91,050

24. Omaha, NE

Photo by Jesse Duering on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 97.1°F (+0.1°F below 1955 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 98.5°F (-1.5°F above 1955 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 94.4°F (-8.5°F below 1955 record)
Total population: 489,201

23. Savannah, GA

Photo by Alla Kemelmakher on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 100.1°F (-0.8°F below 1949 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.2°F (+0.2°F above 1949 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 96.5°F (-2.5°F below 1954 record)
Total population: 147,583

22. Lafayette, LA

Photo by Nicole Herrero on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 92.2°F (-6.8°F below 1995 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 94.5°F (-1.6°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 96.6°F (+0.5°F below 1998 record)
Total population: 121,706

21. Kissimmee, FL

Photo by Brandon Schmidt on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 96.5°F (-2.5°F below 1902 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 97.5°F (+0.5°F above 1899 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 95.2°F (-1.8°F below 1949 record)
Total population: 78,478

20. Charlotte, NC

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 99.7°F (-1.2°F below 1936 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.8°F (+0.8°F above 1930 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.8°F (+0.8°F below 1941 record)
Total population: 875,045

19. Greenville, SC

Photo by Emmy Gaddy on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 99.0°F (-3.9°F below 1952 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.9°F (-4.1°F above 1952 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.9°F (+0.9°F below 1886 record)
Total population: 70,838

18. Dothan, AL

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 97.6°F (-1.4°F below 2015 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.9°F (+0.9°F above 1986 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 100.1°F (-0.8°F below 1986 record)
Total population: 70,699

17. Brandon, FL

Photo by Wilson Stratton on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 94.4°F (+0.5°F below 1892 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 93.9°F (+0.9°F above 1892 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 92.2°F (+0.3°F below 1891 record)
Total population: 114,923

16. Apex, NC

Photo by Mark Stebnicki on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 98.0°F (-2.0°F below 2005 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 98.0°F (+1.0°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 98.0°F (-4.0°F below 2011 record)
Total population: 65,541

15. Orlando, FL

Photo by Leópold Kristjánsson on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 97.3°F (+0.3°F below 1992 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 98.0°F (+1.0°F above 1981 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 95.5°F (-2.6°F below 1961 record)
Total population: 307,738

14. Cary, NC

Photo by Div Manickam on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 98.2°F (-1.8°F below 2005 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 98.0°F (+1.0°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 98.0°F (-4.0°F below 2011 record)
Total population: 174,880

13. Mobile, AL

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 94.4°F (-4.6°F below 1912 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 98.1°F (+1.1°F above 1910 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 98.2°F (+1.2°F below 1910 record)
Total population: 186,316

12. Highlands Ranch, CO

Photo by Lynn Hayne on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 95.2°F (+1.3°F below 1999 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 94.9°F (-0.1°F above 2021 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 91.6°F (-5.4°F below 2001 record)
Total population: 101,514

11. Gainesville, FL

Photo by Claribel O'Boyle on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 97.8°F (+1.7°F below 1892 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.0°F (+0.0°F above 1896 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 95.0°F (-5.0°F below 1892 record)
Total population: 142,414

10. Atlanta, GA

Photo by Ben Dutton on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 96.3°F (-4.6°F below 1952 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.6°F (-3.3°F above 1952 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.9°F (+1.8°F below 1980 record)
Total population: 494,838

9. South Fulton, GA

Photo by Jim Patrick on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 96.5°F (-4.4°F below 1952 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.4°F (-3.5°F above 1952 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 100.0°F (+1.9°F below 1980 record)
Total population: 107,865

8. Tallahassee, FL

Photo by Kevin Dunlap on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 98.0°F (-0.1°F below 1936 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 100.1°F (+2.0°F above 1936 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 98.4°F (+1.4°F below 1928 record)
Total population: 198,259

7. Roswell, GA

Photo by Thomas K on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 95.5°F (-0.6°F below 1987 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 98.6°F (+0.5°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.6°F (+2.6°F below 1959 record)
Total population: 92,770

6. Alpharetta, GA

Photo by Adaobi B on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 95.9°F (-0.2°F below 1987 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.3°F (+1.2°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.9°F (+2.9°F below 1959 record)
Total population: 65,884

5. Sandy Springs, GA

Photo by Sergej Karpow on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 96.1°F (+0.0°F below 1987 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.3°F (+1.2°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.9°F (+2.9°F below 1959 record)
Total population: 107,221

4. Columbus, GA

Photo by Jerel Coles on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 97.6°F (-1.4°F below 1999 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 100.0°F (+3.0°F above 2008 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 100.1°F (+0.1°F below 1999 record)
Total population: 204,572

3. Augusta, GA

Photo by Sami Laughlin on Pexels

Forecast high, July 28: 101.1°F (+3.0°F below 1999 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 100.4°F (+0.4°F above 1999 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 99.5°F (-3.4°F below 1999 record)
Total population: 201,615

2. Johns Creek, GA

Photo by Komsan Jitarmat on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 96.2°F (+0.1°F below 1987 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 99.5°F (+1.4°F above 1993 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 100.1°F (+3.1°F below 1959 record)
Total population: 82,230

1. Louisville, KY

Photo by andrew welch on Unsplash

Forecast high, July 28: 93.9°F (-4.2°F below 2011 record)
Forecast high, July 29: 95.3°F (-1.7°F above 2002 record)
Forecast high, July 30: 96.7°F (+3.7°F below 2011 record)
Total population: 629,176

Finding a fiduciary financial advisor doesn't have to be hard. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area in 5 minutes.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. Get on the path toward achieving your financial goals!

More from ClimateCrisis 247