These US Cities Have Had More 100-Degree Days Than Ever This Year

This summer was the hottest on record in the United States, and several cities saw more days above 100 degrees Fahrenheit than they ever have before. A new report from weather forecaster AccuWeather looked at cities across the country and found that many broke or tied their all-time records. The extreme heat hit the South the hardest, but cities from coast to coast felt the dangerous temperatures. Experts say climate change is making summers like this one more common.

Dallas, Texas, topped the list with 52 days above 100 degrees Fahrenheit — that is 37.7 degrees Celsius. That number is more than double Dallas's usual average for hot days and a huge jump from the seven days the city saw in 2025. Austin, the capital of Texas, came in second with 48 scorching days. That is more than twice what Austin recorded the year before.

Cities in Oklahoma and Kansas also made the top five. Oklahoma City ranked third, Tulsa came in fourth, and Wichita, Kansas, took fifth place. Oklahoma City went from just one day at or above 100 degrees in 2025 to 35 such days in 2026. That is a shocking change in just one year.

The record heat was not limited to the South. In Wyoming, the city of Lander tied its all-time record with three days above 100 degrees. New York City's Kennedy Airport also tied its own record. Miami tied its all-time high temperature of 100 degrees this summer — something that had only happened once before in the city's history.

Colorado was one of the states hit hardest by extreme heat. The state recorded 27 days above 100 degrees in 2026, smashing a previous record that had stood since 2002. One big reason for so many hot days was large heat domes — areas of high pressure that trap hot air over a city for many days at a time. A heat dome sat over the South as late as September, which is usually a cooler month.

Scientists say climate change is the main reason summers keep getting hotter. A strong weather pattern called El Niño is also making temperatures rise across the country. These changes are already affecting more than just summer — fall foliage is changing, and the seasons for hurricanes and wildfires are growing longer.

Hot weather is not just uncomfortable — it can be deadly. Heat is already the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States. The National Weather Service says that any temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 26.6 degrees Celsius, can be dangerous to human health. As temperatures keep climbing, experts warn that more people will be at risk each year.