Summer is here, and every four years it brings the Summer Olympics with it. With the 2024 Summer Olympics about to get underway in Paris, it’s been predicted that the city could experience dangerously hot conditions during the Olympics. This could end up being one of the hottest Summer Olympics on record, but previous Olympics could actually give it a run for its money.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) takes a lot of factors into consideration when choosing which city will host the Summer Olympics. Adequate infrastructure, potential economic benefits, a safe political environment, and cultural and historical significance all come into play. But equally important are the city’s climate and weather conditions.
The IOC prefers to choose cities that have moderate summertime temperatures and low humidity. The committee also makes sure that host cities have comprehensive heat mitigation plans, including scheduling events during cooler times of the day, providing shade and hydration stations, and making sure that well-equipped medical facilities to treat heat stroke and other heat-related conditions are readily available.
But as they say, man plans and God laughs. A hot and humid summer nearly derailed Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), for example, and the planners had to host events very early in the morning, boost the amount of hydration stations, and provide cooling vests for athletes and cooling centers for athletes. The IOC can cross their fingers, but summer is summer, and it’s most likely going to be hot.
To determine the hottest Summer Olympics in history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed global historical climate data from the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Olympic host cities were ranked based on the average daily maximum temperature at weather stations within their boundaries in the days between the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games.
The Paris Olympics may be shaping up to be hot, but as with all Olympics, memorable moments are all but guaranteed. Get in the mood by checking out the most iconic Summer Olympics moments in history.
28. 1952 Summer Olympics (Helsinki)
- Average daily maximum: 60.1°F
- Highest daily maximum: 75.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 19, 1952
- Closing ceremony date: August 3, 1952
27. 1908 Summer Olympics (London)
- Average daily maximum: 66.4°F
- Highest daily maximum: 83.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: April 27, 1908
- Closing ceremony date: October 31, 1908
26. 1920 Summer Olympics (Antwerp)
- Average daily maximum: 66.6°F
- Highest daily maximum: 78.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 14, 1920
- Closing ceremony date: September 12, 1920
25. 1964 Summer Olympics (Tokyo)
- Average daily maximum: 67.0°F
- Highest daily maximum: 75.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: October 10, 1964
- Closing ceremony date: October 24, 1964
24. 1928 Summer Olympics (Amsterdam)
- Average daily maximum: 68.3°F
- Highest daily maximum: 76.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 28, 1928
- Closing ceremony date: August 12, 1928
23. 1972 Summer Olympics (Munich)
- Average daily maximum: 69.1°F
- Highest daily maximum: 80.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 26, 1972
- Closing ceremony date: September 11, 1972
22. 1948 Summer Olympics (London)
- Average daily maximum: 70.0°F
- Highest daily maximum: 90.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 29, 1948
- Closing ceremony date: August 14, 1948
21. 1968 Summer Olympics (Mexico City)
- Average daily maximum: 70.7°F
- Highest daily maximum: 87.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: October 12, 1968
- Closing ceremony date: October 27, 1968
20. 2016 Summer Olympics (Rio de Janeiro)
- Average daily maximum: 71.4°F
- Highest daily maximum: 76.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 5, 2016
- Closing ceremony date: August 21, 2016
19. 1956 Summer Olympics (Melbourne)
- Average daily maximum: 71.5°F
- Highest daily maximum: 89.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: November 22, 1956
- Closing ceremony date: December 8, 1956
18. 1936 Summer Olympics (Berlin)
- Average daily maximum: 71.9°F
- Highest daily maximum: 82.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 1, 1936
- Closing ceremony date: August 16, 1936
17. 2012 Summer Olympics (London)
- Average daily maximum: 72.3°F
- Highest daily maximum: 81.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 27, 2012
- Closing ceremony date: August 12, 2012
16. 1900 Summer Olympics (Paris)
- Average daily maximum: 72.5°F
- Highest daily maximum: 101.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: May 14, 1900
- Closing ceremony date: October 28, 1900
15. 1980 Summer Olympics (Moscow)
- Average daily maximum: 74.8°F
- Highest daily maximum: 85.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 19, 1980
- Closing ceremony date: August 3, 1980
14. 1924 Summer Olympics (Paris)
- Average daily maximum: 75.3°F
- Highest daily maximum: 91.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 5, 1924
- Closing ceremony date: July 27, 1924
13. 1976 Summer Olympics (Montreal)
- Average daily maximum: 75.8°F
- Highest daily maximum: 86.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 17, 1976
- Closing ceremony date: August 1, 1976
12. 1912 Summer Olympics (Stockholm)
- Average daily maximum: 76.1°F
- Highest daily maximum: 85.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 6, 1912
- Closing ceremony date: July 22, 1912
11. 1904 Summer Olympics (St. Louis)
- Average daily maximum: 76.8°F
- Highest daily maximum: 95.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 1, 1904
- Closing ceremony date: November 23, 1904
10. 1988 Summer Olympics (Seoul)
- Average daily maximum: 77.1°F
- Highest daily maximum: 84.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: September 17, 1988
- Closing ceremony date: October 2, 1988
9. 2000 Summer Olympics (Sydney)
- Average daily maximum: 77.5°F
- Highest daily maximum: 96.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: September 15, 2000
- Closing ceremony date: October 1, 2000
8. 1932 Summer Olympics (Los Angeles)
- Average daily maximum: 81.9°F
- Highest daily maximum: 104.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 30, 1932
- Closing ceremony date: August 14, 1932
7. 1992 Summer Olympics (Barcelona)
- Average daily maximum: 84.8°F
- Highest daily maximum: 92.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 25, 1992
- Closing ceremony date: August 9, 1992
6. 1984 Summer Olympics (Los Angeles)
- Average daily maximum: 84.8°F
- Highest daily maximum: 105.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 28, 1984
- Closing ceremony date: August 12, 1984
5. 1960 Summer Olympics (Rome)
- Average daily maximum: 84.9°F
- Highest daily maximum: 99.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 25, 1960
- Closing ceremony date: September 11, 1960
4. 2008 Summer Olympics (Beijing)
- Average daily maximum: 86.9°F
- Highest daily maximum: 95.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 8, 2008
- Closing ceremony date: August 24, 2008
3. 2004 Summer Olympics (Athens)
- Average daily maximum: 89.0°F
- Highest daily maximum: 99.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: August 13, 2004
- Closing ceremony date: August 29, 2004
2. 1996 Summer Olympics (Atlanta)
- Average daily maximum: 89.3°F
- Highest daily maximum: 99.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 19, 1996
- Closing ceremony date: August 4, 1996
1. 2020 Summer Olympics (Tokyo)
- Average daily maximum: 90.1°F
- Highest daily maximum: 94.0°F
- Opening ceremony date: July 23, 2021
- Closing ceremony date: August 8, 2021