Americans hoping for a mild summer may be out of luck this year. Climate models are indicating that — outside of the Plains region — temperatures will be warmer than normal this summer as well. The summer of 2018 tied with 1934 as the fourth hottest summer on record for the contiguous United States.
Of course, temperatures vary widely across the country. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -80° Fahrenheit in Prospect Creek in central Alaska in 1971. At the other end of the spectrum, temperatures reached a staggering 134° Fahrenheit in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California on July 10, 1913 — one of the hottest places on Earth.
Temperatures also vary within each state, with geographic and other factors affecting the weather. Cities filled with heat-trapping materials such as asphalt, metal, and concrete are often the warmest. Elevation may also come into play. Furnace Creek, for instance, sits at 190 feet below sea level.
Based on the most recent historical temperature data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 24/7 Wall St. identified each state’s hottest city.
While California’s Death Valley is the nation’s hottest region, areas in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Utah are not far behind. In these cities, the average maximum temperature surpasses 100° Fahrenheit during the hottest month. Among the hottest cities in the nation’s coldest states are Fairbanks, Alaska, and Sanford, Maine.
To identify the hottest city in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the annual maximum average temperature recorded in 9,800 weather stations in the United States between 1981-2010. The weather station (and the subsequent town closest to it) with the highest consistent maximum temperature during the hottest month for this 30-year period was considered the hottest city in the state.
All data on temperature averages, weather station coordinates, and elevation were derived from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association’s 1981-2010 Climate Normals program.
Source: olin_gilbert / Flickr
1. Alabama
> Hottest city: Eufaula
> 30-year average max temperature: 93.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.3° F in July, 2000
> Elevation: 70.1 meters
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Source: DMartinez-Photo / Getty Images
2. Alaska
> Hottest city: Fairbanks
> 30-year average max temperature: 75.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 82.6° F in June, 2004
> Elevation: 184.4 meters
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Source: equigini / Getty Images
3. Arizona
> Hottest city: Willow Beach
> 30-year average max temperature: 111.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 115.1° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 225.6 meters
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Source: library_of_congress / Flickr
4. Arkansas
> Hottest city: Helena
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 101.7° F in August, 2000
> Elevation: 59.4 meters
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Source: Tuxyso / Wikimedia Commons
5. California
> Hottest city: Death Valley
> 30-year average max temperature: 116.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 121.4° F in July, 2009
> Elevation: -59.1 meters
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Source: Cawright2007 / Wikimedia Commons
6. Colorado
> Hottest city: Naturita
> 30-year average max temperature: 96.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 103.7° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 1530.4 meters
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Source: dougtone / Flickr
7. Connecticut
> Hottest city: Bethel
> 30-year average max temperature: 84.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 91.0° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 123.4 meters
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Source: Eli Pousson from Baltimore, MD, USA / Wikimedia Commons
8. Delaware
> Hottest city: Georgetown
> 30-year average max temperature: 87.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 91.1° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 13.7 meters
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Source: 52450054@N04 / Flickr
9. Florida
> Hottest city: Homestead
> 30-year average max temperature: 94.8° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 99.8° F in September, 1996
> Elevation: 2.1 meters
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Source: Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) / Wikimedia Commons
10. Georgia
> Hottest city: Folkston
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.4° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 100.6° F in June, 1998
> Elevation: 36.6 meters
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Source: Robert Baranic / Getty Images
11. Hawaii
> Hottest city: Kapolei
> 30-year average max temperature: 89.7° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 93.0° F in July, 1991
> Elevation: 15.2 meters
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Source: ChrisBoswell / Getty Images
12. Idaho
> Hottest city: Glenns Ferry
> 30-year average max temperature: 97.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 103.8° F in July, 2007
> Elevation: 751.6 meters
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Source: Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons
13. Illinois
> Hottest city: Mascoutah
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.7° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 137.2 meters
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Source: gsfc / Flickr
14. Indiana
> Hottest city: Henderson
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.8° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 115.8 meters
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Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
15. Iowa
> Hottest city: Keosauqua
> 30-year average max temperature: 87.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 95.5° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 177.1 meters
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Source: Ammodramus / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
16. Kansas
> Hottest city: Johnson City
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 102.6° F in July, 2001
> Elevation: 966.2 meters
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Source: Nheyob / Wikimedia Commons
17. Kentucky
> Hottest city: Glasgow
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.7° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 99.1° F in August, 2007
> Elevation: 189.0 meters
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Source: Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons
18. Louisiana
> Hottest city: Plain Dealing
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.0° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 103.3° F in July, 1998
> Elevation: 88.4 meters
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Source: nhoulihan / Flickr
19. Maine
> Hottest city: Sanford
> 30-year average max temperature: 81.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 84.9° F in July, 1994
> Elevation: 85.3 meters
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Source: Abhijit Tembhekar / Wikimedia Commons
20. Maryland
> Hottest city: Baltimore
> 30-year average max temperature: 92.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.3° F in July, 1988
> Elevation: 4.3 meters
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Source: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons
21. Massachusetts
> Hottest city: Abington
> 30-year average max temperature: 85.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 89.3° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 47.9 meters
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Source: Rmhermen / Wikimedia Commons
22. Michigan
> Hottest city: Dearborn
> 30-year average max temperature: 84.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 90.2° F in July, 2002
> Elevation: 184.4 meters
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Source: pavdw / Flickr
23. Minnesota
> Hottest city: Minneapolis
> 30-year average max temperature: 86.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 92.3° F in July, 2001
> Elevation: 229.8 meters
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Source: Thomas R Machnitzki / Wikimedia Commons
24. Mississippi
> Hottest city: Hernando
> 30-year average max temperature: 94.5° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 102.3° F in August, 2007
> Elevation: 115.8 meters
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Source: usacehq / Flickr
25. Missouri
> Hottest city: Wappapello
> 30-year average max temperature: 92.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.7° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 125.0 meters
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Source: Robstutz / Wikimedia Commons
26. Montana
> Hottest city: Ismay
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.2° F in June, 1988
> Elevation: 755.9 meters
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Source: Ammodramus / Wikimedia Commons
27. Nebraska
> Hottest city: Benkelman
> 30-year average max temperature: 92.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.7° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 922.0 meters
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Source: LPETTET / Getty Images
28. Nevada
> Hottest city: Laughlin
> 30-year average max temperature: 110.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 114.4° F in August, 1995
> Elevation: 184.4 meters
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Source: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons
29. New Hampshire
> Hottest city: Hudson
> 30-year average max temperature: 82.7° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 88.0° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 56.4 meters
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Source: Apc106 / Wikimedia Commons
30. New Jersey
> Hottest city: Moorestown
> 30-year average max temperature: 88.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 93.9° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 13.7 meters
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Source: Leaflet / Wikimedia Commons
31. New Mexico
> Hottest city: Maljamar
> 30-year average max temperature: 96.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 104.1° F in June, 1990
> Elevation: 1266.1 meters
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Source: kenlund / Flickr
32. New York
> Hottest city: The Bronx
> 30-year average max temperature: 85.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 90.6° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 3.4 meters
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Source: Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US / Wikimedia Commons
33. North Carolina
> Hottest city: Hamlet
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.3° F in July, 1986
> Elevation: 106.7 meters
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Source: afiler / Flickr
34. North Dakota
> Hottest city: Fort Yates
> 30-year average max temperature: 86.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 94.5° F in July, 2006
> Elevation: 510.5 meters
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Source: Kurttarvis / Wikimedia Commons
35. Ohio
> Hottest city: Gallipolis
> 30-year average max temperature: 89.7° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.9° F in August, 2007
> Elevation: 173.4 meters
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Source: duggar11 / Wikimedia Commons
36. Oklahoma
> Hottest city: Lawton
> 30-year average max temperature: 97.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 104.7° F in August, 2000
> Elevation: 325.8 meters
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Source: TedQuackenbush / Wikimedia Commons
37. Oregon
> Hottest city: Ontario
> 30-year average max temperature: 93.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 100.9° F in July, 2006
> Elevation: 667.5 meters
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Source: 75012107@N05 / Flickr
38. Pennsylvania
> Hottest city: Green Lane
> 30-year average max temperature: 88.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 93.5° F in July, 1988
> Elevation: 93.0 meters
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Source: kickstand / Getty Images
39. Rhode Island
> Hottest city: Warwick
> 30-year average max temperature: 82.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 87.1° F in July, 1981
> Elevation: 18.3 meters
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
40. South Carolina
> Hottest city: Columbia
> 30-year average max temperature: 94.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 100.2° F in July, 1993
> Elevation: 73.8 meters
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Source: diversey / Flickr
41. South Dakota
> Hottest city: Edgemont
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.0° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 1100.3 meters
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Source: Thomas R Machnitzki / Wikimedia Commons
42. Tennessee
> Hottest city: Millington
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.0° F in July, 1986
> Elevation: 86.0 meters
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Source: Robert Rutherford / Getty Images
43. Texas
> Hottest city: Big Bend National Park
> 30-year average max temperature: 103.8° F in June
> Hottest month on record: 109.2° F in June, 1998
> Elevation: 661.1 meters
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Source: SweetyMommy / Getty Images
44. Utah
> Hottest city: Saint George
> 30-year average max temperature: 101.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 108.4° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 849.5 meters
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Source: gary_leavens / Flickr
45. Vermont
> Hottest city: Vernon
> 30-year average max temperature: 84.4° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 87.8° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 68.9 meters
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Source: Wyatt Greene / Wikimedia Commons
46. Virginia
> Hottest city: New Canton
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.1° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 68.6 meters
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Source: Cecil_Kindle / Getty Images
47. Washington
> Hottest city: Pasco
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.0° F in July, 1998
> Elevation: 124.1 meters
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Source: 6381380 / Getty Images
48. West Virginia
> Hottest city: Williamson
> 30-year average max temperature: 88.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 94.3° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 231.6 meters
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Source: csfotoimages / Getty Images
49. Wisconsin
> Hottest city: Lake Geneva
> 30-year average max temperature: 85.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 91.7° F in July, 1988
> Elevation: 257.9 meters
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Source: alptraum / Getty Images
50. Wyoming
> Hottest city: Thermopolis
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.2° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 1314.6 meters
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