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This County Is Experiencing the Worst Heat Waves, Averaging Almost 98°F

This County Is Experiencing the Worst Heat Waves, Averaging Almost 98°F

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50. Rockdale County, GA

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49. Meriwether County, GA

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48. Hall County, GA

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47. Choctaw County, OK

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46. Jackson County, GA

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45. Clarke County, GA

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43. DeKalb County, GA

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42. Fayette County, GA

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41. Jasper County, GA

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40. Madison County, GA

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39. Oglethorpe County, GA

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38. Newton County, GA

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37. Walton County, GA

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36. Barrow County, GA

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35. Union County, GA

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34. Walker County, GA

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33. Randolph County, AL

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32. Gwinnett County, GA

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31. Catoosa County, GA

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28. Fulton County, GA

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27. Heard County, GA

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26. Val Verde County, TX

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25. Floyd County, GA

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24. Cobb County, GA

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23. Coweta County, GA

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22. Brewster County, TX

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21. Cleburne County, AL

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20. Lumpkin County, GA

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18. Yavapai County, AZ

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17. Douglas County, GA

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16. Bartow County, GA

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15. Whitfield County, GA

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14. Polk County, GA

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13. Dawson County, GA

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12. Paulding County, GA

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10. Cherokee County, GA

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9. Murray County, GA

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7. Carroll County, GA

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6. Fannin County, GA

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5. Haralson County, GA

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4. Gilmer County, GA

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3. La Paz County, AZ

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2. Maricopa County, AZ

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1. Yuma County, AZ

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50. Rockdale County, GA
49. Meriwether County, GA
48. Hall County, GA
47. Choctaw County, OK
46. Jackson County, GA
45. Clarke County, GA
44. Cherokee County, NC
43. DeKalb County, GA
42. Fayette County, GA
41. Jasper County, GA
40. Madison County, GA
39. Oglethorpe County, GA
38. Newton County, GA
37. Walton County, GA
36. Barrow County, GA
35. Union County, GA
34. Walker County, GA
33. Randolph County, AL
32. Gwinnett County, GA
31. Catoosa County, GA
30. Chattooga County, GA
29. Terrell County, TX
28. Fulton County, GA
27. Heard County, GA
26. Val Verde County, TX
25. Floyd County, GA
24. Cobb County, GA
23. Coweta County, GA
22. Brewster County, TX
21. Cleburne County, AL
20. Lumpkin County, GA
19. Forsyth County, GA
18. Yavapai County, AZ
17. Douglas County, GA
16. Bartow County, GA
15. Whitfield County, GA
14. Polk County, GA
13. Dawson County, GA
12. Paulding County, GA
11. Gordon County, GA
10. Cherokee County, GA
9. Murray County, GA
8. Pickens County, GA
7. Carroll County, GA
6. Fannin County, GA
5. Haralson County, GA
4. Gilmer County, GA
3. La Paz County, AZ
2. Maricopa County, AZ
1. Yuma County, AZ

Excessive heat alone in the form of a heat wave is enough to grapple with. Add high humidity and you have yourself an environment that leaves you wet, sticky, and breathing hard—even if you're just standing there. The National Weather Service defines a heat wave as "a period of abnormally hot weather generally lasting more than two days." Well, it's the middle of July and heat waves are on and raging in the southern region of the U.S.

Luckily, not all heat waves appear with high humidity. But those in the south are well-acquainted with humid weather. When heat waves strike, residents are exposed to hazardous heat. Heat-related illnesses like heat stroke must be taken seriously, especially for residents who spend time working outside in the elements. It's vital for residents in these southern counties to learn how to stay safe during these excessive heat events.

With outdoor activities, you must slow down. What you can accomplish in regular weather is not the same as what you can accomplish during a heat wave. Keep your clothing lightweight, eat foods that are easy on your digestive system, and drink lots and lots of water. If your cooling system at home isn’t working, head to a public place like a library or mall to give your body a rest from the excessive heat. With careful precautions, you can withstand these blistering heat waves. (Take a look at the average summer temperature every decade since 1895.)

Methodology

To determine the southern cities experiencing the worst heat waves right now, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on daily average temperature from the NOAA's nClimGrid-Daily program. Counties were ranked based on the raw differential in average daily temperature from the period July 1-6, 1981-2010, to July 1-6, 2024. Supplemental data on population is from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey.

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