Extreme Heat Is Putting These Travel Destinations at Risk

Every year, Americans prepare for their summer travel during what is, in most areas, the hottest months of the year. And temperatures keep rising, with new heat records set globally. Many of these areas face excessive heat. According to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the summer months of 2024 – June, July, and August – were 0.2 Fahrenheit degrees warmer than any other summer on record, and August set a new record, making this the hottest summer on record since 1880.

The heat index, an index that combines air temperatures and relative humidity, which the National Weather Service defines as "what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature," plays a substantial role in the measure of how hot it truly is. When the heat index is between 103 and 125 degrees, as temperatures have seen recently in regions across the country, the risk of heat-related illnesses increases.

To determine how excessive heat is putting these travel destinations at risk 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on current weather warnings and advisories from the NOAA's National Weather Service. Cities whose land area fall at least 50% within the boundaries of an NWS excessive heat warning as of July 11, 2024 were ordered by maximum observed temperature during the period July 1-8, 2024.

Temperature data is from the NOAA's nClimGrid-Daily program and was aggregated from the census tract level to the place level using boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line shapefiles program.Only cities where at least 15% of the housing stock is vacant for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use – a proxy for vacation activity – with at least 1,000 residents were considered. Population and vacancy status data is from the Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey.(If you prefer the open road, check out the ultimate road trip in every state.)

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 92.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 73.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 46.7%
• Total population: 3,038

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 96.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 74.4°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 21.8%
• Total population: 1,111

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 99.1°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 78.7°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 19.5%
• Total population: 5,003

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 102.0°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 76.4°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 24.8%
• Total population: 1,756

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 102.8°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 78.9°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 19.5%
• Total population: 1,377

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 103.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 78.7°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 20.4%
• Total population: 2,218

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 103.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 84.0°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 27.8%
• Total population: 2,013

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 104.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 85.9°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 19.0%
• Total population: 1,375

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 105.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 80.0°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 18.7%
• Total population: 1,103

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 105.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 85.4°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 30.6%
• Total population: 1,485

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 105.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 83.0°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 48.6%
• Total population: 2,195

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 105.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 83.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 18.8%
• Total population: 3,032

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 105.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 78.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 25.2%
• Total population: 1,371

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 106.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 85.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 18.7%
• Total population: 1,271

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 107.1°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 85.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 23.7%
• Total population: 1,006

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 107.4°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 88.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 17.1%
• Total population: 20,937

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 107.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 86.9°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 15.6%
• Total population: 1,215

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 75.6%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 107.8°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 85.8°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 16.2%
• Total population: 2,320

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 108.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 87.8°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 22.4%
• Total population: 2,022

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 79.1%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 109.0°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 87.0°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 24.4%
• Total population: 3,514

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 85.1%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 109.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 87.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 26.7%
• Total population: 2,267

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 109.8°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 88.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 39.9%
• Total population: 2,946

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 109.9°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 84.6°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 19.1%
• Total population: 2,666

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 110.1°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 89.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 26.4%
• Total population: 2,546

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 110.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 89.1°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 21.1%
• Total population: 6,751

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 110.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 83.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 21.7%
• Total population: 1,031

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 110.5°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 91.6°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 20.3%
• Total population: 11,565

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 110.5°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 86.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 25.6%
• Total population: 2,074

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 110.8°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 89.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 18.3%
• Total population: 3,819

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 111.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 92.6°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 21.1%
• Total population: 3,671

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 86.7%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 112.1°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 90.0°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 27.8%
• Total population: 44,935

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 112.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 88.7°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 17.1%
• Total population: 1,106

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 113.0°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 93.9°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 34.0%
• Total population: 1,629

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 114.0°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 92.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 35.8%
• Total population: 17,257

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 114.0°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 95.8°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 17.7%
• Total population: 25,783

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 114.5°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 93.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 47.7%
• Total population: 4,832

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 114.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 95.6°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 28.0%
• Total population: 2,422

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 114.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 92.8°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 40.6%
• Total population: 3,715

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 114.8°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 93.7°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 28.6%
• Total population: 51,290

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 115.4°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 94.6°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 30.2%
• Total population: 37,933

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 115.5°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 93.9°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 27.1%
• Total population: 2,307

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 115.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 94.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 16.6%
• Total population: 8,242

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 116.4°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 95.7°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 19.1%
• Total population: 6,414

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 117.2°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 95.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 18.2%
• Total population: 20,659

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 117.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 97.7°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 30.6%
• Total population: 27,552

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 117.3°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 97.0°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 21.6%
• Total population: 1,026

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 117.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 98.4°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 17.0%
• Total population: 4,895

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 117.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 98.2°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 31.3%
• Total population: 2,447

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 118.4°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 98.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 22.7%
• Total population: 2,651

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 118.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 99.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 15.1%
• Total population: 41,593

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 118.9°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 99.6°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 15.6%
• Total population: 8,184

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 119.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 98.9°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 30.4%
• Total population: 2,141

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 119.7°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 99.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 19.2%
• Total population: 57,294

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 120.1°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 99.5°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 15.9%
• Total population: 1,012

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 121.0°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 100.3°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 46.1%
• Total population: 1,441

• Share of city under excessive heat advisory: 100.0%
• Maximum temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 121.6°F
• Average temperature, July 1-8, 2024: 100.8°F
• Housing units dedicated to seasonal use: 42.8%
• Total population: 1,028