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.
50. Rockdale County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.3°F
- Total population: 93,641
- County seat: Conyers
49. Meriwether County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.0°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.0°F
- Total population: 20,679
- County seat: Greenville
48. Hall County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.3°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.3°F
- Total population: 204,953
- County seat: Gainesville
47. Choctaw County, OK
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 85.6°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 80.6°F
- Total population: 14,285
- County seat: Hugo
46. Jackson County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.5°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.5°F
- Total population: 77,033
- County seat: Jefferson
45. Clarke County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.9°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.9°F
- Total population: 128,864
- County seat: Athens-Clarke County
44. Cherokee County, NC
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 77.1°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 72.1°F
- Total population: 28,868
- County seat: Murphy
43. DeKalb County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.9°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.9°F
- Total population: 761,209
- County seat: Decatur
42. Fayette County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.1°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.1°F
- Total population: 119,259
- County seat: Fayetteville
41. Jasper County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.8°F (+5.0°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.8°F
- Total population: 14,882
- County seat: Monticello
40. Madison County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.5°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.5°F
- Total population: 30,378
- County seat: Danielsville
39. Oglethorpe County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.2°F
- Total population: 14,974
- County seat: Lexington
38. Newton County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.4°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.4°F
- Total population: 113,298
- County seat: Covington
37. Walton County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.9°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 97,752
- County seat: Monroe
36. Barrow County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.5°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.4°F
- Total population: 84,399
- County seat: Winder
35. Union County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 76.6°F (+5.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 71.5°F
- Total population: 24,880
- County seat: Blairsville
34. Walker County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.7°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.5°F
- Total population: 68,065
- County seat: LaFayette
33. Randolph County, AL
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.4°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 22,179
- County seat: Wedowee
32. Gwinnett County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.3°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.1°F
- Total population: 957,977
- County seat: Lawrenceville
31. Catoosa County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.4°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 68,052
- County seat: Ringgold
30. Chattooga County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.6°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.3°F
- Total population: 24,902
- County seat: Summerville
29. Terrell County, TX
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 88.5°F (+5.2°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 83.2°F
- Total population: 862
- County seat: Sanderson
28. Fulton County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.8°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.6°F
- Total population: 1,061,944
- County seat: Atlanta
27. Heard County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.0°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 11,489
- County seat: Franklin
26. Val Verde County, TX
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 89.0°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 83.7°F
- Total population: 47,693
- County seat: Del Rio
25. Floyd County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.3°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.9°F
- Total population: 98,541
- County seat: Rome
24. Cobb County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.8°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.5°F
- Total population: 765,813
- County seat: Marietta
23. Coweta County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.1°F (+5.3°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 147,449
- County seat: Newnan
22. Brewster County, TX
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 86.2°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 80.9°F
- Total population: 9,454
- County seat: Alpine
21. Cleburne County, AL
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.9°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.5°F
- Total population: 15,144
- County seat: Heflin
20. Lumpkin County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 79.2°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 73.8°F
- Total population: 33,405
- County seat: Dahlonega
19. Forsyth County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.7°F (+5.4°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.3°F
- Total population: 253,225
- County seat: Cumming
18. Yavapai County, AZ
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 84.4°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 78.9°F
- Total population: 237,830
- County seat: Prescott
17. Douglas County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.7°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 144,735
- County seat: Douglasville
16. Bartow County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.2°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.7°F
- Total population: 109,410
- County seat: Cartersville
15. Whitfield County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.8°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 103,033
- County seat: Dalton
14. Polk County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.7°F (+5.5°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.2°F
- Total population: 43,019
- County seat: Cedartown
13. Dawson County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 80.4°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 74.9°F
- Total population: 27,355
- County seat: Dawsonville
12. Paulding County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.6°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.0°F
- Total population: 169,898
- County seat: Dallas
11. Gordon County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 83.4°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 77.8°F
- Total population: 57,785
- County seat: Calhoun
10. Cherokee County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.3°F (+5.6°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.7°F
- Total population: 268,567
- County seat: Canton
9. Murray County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.2°F (+5.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.5°F
- Total population: 40,063
- County seat: Chatsworth
8. Pickens County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.0°F (+5.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 75.3°F
- Total population: 33,439
- County seat: Jasper
7. Carroll County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 82.4°F (+5.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.7°F
- Total population: 120,060
- County seat: Carrollton
6. Fannin County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 78.1°F (+5.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 72.3°F
- Total population: 25,436
- County seat: Blue Ridge
5. Haralson County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 81.8°F (+5.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 76.0°F
- Total population: 30,178
- County seat: Buchanan
4. Gilmer County, GA
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 79.3°F (+5.8°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 73.5°F
- Total population: 31,519
- County seat: Ellijay
3. La Paz County, AZ
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 97.8°F (+6.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 91.7°F
- Total population: 16,681
- County seat: Parker
2. Maricopa County, AZ
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 96.3°F (+6.1°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 90.1°F
- Total population: 4,430,871
- County seat: Phoenix
1. Yuma County, AZ
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 2024: 97.5°F (+6.7°F hotter than normal)
- Avg. temperature, July 1-6, 1981-2010: 90.8°F
- Total population: 204,374
- County seat: Yuma