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This Retirement Community Just Recorded Deadly 120+ Degree Temperatures

This Retirement Community Just Recorded Deadly 120+ Degree Temperatures

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38. Mira Monte, CA

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37. Johnson Lane, NV

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36. Ojai, CA

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35. Cottonwood, AZ

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34. Saddlebrooke, AZ

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33. Green Valley, AZ

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32. Bear Valley Springs, CA

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31. Oro Valley, AZ

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30. Tanque Verde, AZ

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29. Ivins, UT

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28. Tucson Estates, AZ

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27. Catalina Foothills, AZ

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26. Tucson Mountains, AZ

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25. Gold Canyon, AZ

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24. Jackson, CA

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23. Paradise, CA

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22. Golden Valley, AZ

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21. Palm Springs, CA

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20. Oroville East, CA

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19. Wickenburg, AZ

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18. Gold River, CA

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17. Rancho Murieta, CA

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16. Pahrump, NV

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15. Rancho Mirage, CA

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14. Fountain Hills, AZ

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12. Palm Desert, CA

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11. La Quinta, CA

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10. Sun Lakes, AZ

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9. Paradise Valley, AZ

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8. Desert Palms, CA

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7. Sun City West, AZ

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6. Sun City, AZ

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5. Mesquite, NV

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4. Fortuna Foothills, AZ

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3. Laughlin, NV

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2. Lake Havasu City, AZ

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1. Fort Mohave, AZ

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38. Mira Monte, CA
37. Johnson Lane, NV
36. Ojai, CA
35. Cottonwood, AZ
34. Saddlebrooke, AZ
33. Green Valley, AZ
32. Bear Valley Springs, CA
31. Oro Valley, AZ
30. Tanque Verde, AZ
29. Ivins, UT
28. Tucson Estates, AZ
27. Catalina Foothills, AZ
26. Tucson Mountains, AZ
25. Gold Canyon, AZ
24. Jackson, CA
23. Paradise, CA
22. Golden Valley, AZ
21. Palm Springs, CA
20. Oroville East, CA
19. Wickenburg, AZ
18. Gold River, CA
17. Rancho Murieta, CA
16. Pahrump, NV
15. Rancho Mirage, CA
14. Fountain Hills, AZ
13. Apache Junction, AZ
12. Palm Desert, CA
11. La Quinta, CA
10. Sun Lakes, AZ
9. Paradise Valley, AZ
8. Desert Palms, CA
7. Sun City West, AZ
6. Sun City, AZ
5. Mesquite, NV
4. Fortuna Foothills, AZ
3. Laughlin, NV
2. Lake Havasu City, AZ
1. Fort Mohave, AZ

Retirement in a warm climate is ideal for comfort, outdoor fun, socializing, and mental wellness. But when the city you decide on becomes an inferno, you may need to rethink your plans. Excessive heat is currently threatening those once cozy retirement environments, posing a serious threat to older individuals. Even cities with names like Paradise Valley are experiencing heat levels that are more reminiscent of a fiery hell.

Not only does excessive heat put a major strain on power grids, but it also poses health risks. Heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke are serious illnesses and those with chronic conditions like heart disease may find their symptoms exacerbated in these hot environments.

While some seniors revel in hot, desert environments, excessive heat is another beast altogether. The National Weather Service explains that for heat to be considered excessive, it must exceed your body's normal temperature. On average, a human's normal temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat is considered excessive when it reaches 99 degrees Fahrenheit.

The repercussions of excessive heat are far-reaching, and the health risks alone are reason for concern. Residents in retirement communities must also keep their cooling and ventilation systems in order and have an emergency plan in place should the climate be too much to handle. Additionally, retirees should be well-versed in heat safety and hydration. (Here's a look at cities where summer is getting hotter.)

Methodology

To determine the retirement hotspots being threatened by excessive heat, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on current weather warnings and advisories from the NOAA's National Weather Service. Cities whose land area falls 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 with at least 5,000 residents where at least 30% of residents are 65 years and over were considered. Population data is from the Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey.

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