What To Know About Summer Heat

Here in the Coachella Valley, we are no stranger to high heat. The highest average temperature for our airports is 109°F for Palm Springs and 107°F for Thermal and occurs in July. It’s not uncommon for us to see temperatures in the 110s and even the 120s during the summer months. This pegs the questions then as to what is considered to be dangerous levels of heat.

The criteria for excessive heat watches and warnings differ from place to place as well as the time of year. For instance, since high temperatures are common in the summer, the issuance of excessive heat watches/warnings as well as heat advisories by the National Weather Service do not follow the same guidelines as during the non-summer months.

We dug into the data and found that between 2000 and 2022, June saw an average of 23 days at or above 100°F. July and August both saw an average of 29 days with high temperatures greater than or equal to 100°F. 

Heat is the largest weather-related killer in the United States. More than 5x the number of people die from heat than cold, based on a 10-year average. Click here to see the statistics of heat-related deaths in Riverside County.

So, it’s important to know how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. When temperatures soar into the triple digits, it's critical to keep cool and avoid overheating. Avoid unnecessary time outdoors and NEVER leave a person or pet inside a vehicle.