5 Worst Summer Weather Cities in the US: Hot, Humid, Soggy
The 5 worst summer weather cities in the US, ranked by heat, humidity, rainfall, and storm risk. Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Mobile, Corpus Christi.
Quick Reference
- #1 worst summer weather city: Miami, Florida. 59.55 inches of annual rain, roughly 44 inches between May and October, 75.6°F annual mean.
- Soggiest: Mobile, Alabama. More than five feet of rain a year.
- Hottest headline: Dallas, Texas. Heat index readings up to 117°F in peak summer.
- Most humid discomfort: New Orleans, Louisiana. Hot, sultry, and rarely cooling below the 70s at night.
- Ranked by: temperature, humidity, precipitation, storm risk, and wind, from NOAA / NWS climate data. Population floor: 50,000.
Miami, Florida collects nearly 60 inches of rain a year and averages 75.6°F, which is how the Magic City ends up at the top of the worst summer weather cities list. The ranking pulls from long-run NOAA climate data and a 2007 WeatherBill precipitation study, limited to cities with at least 50,000 residents. Below is the full list, what the data says about each one, and what you can do if your zip code made the cut.
How We Define “Worst Summer Weather”
Worst is always in the eye of the reader. Some people love snowstorms, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. A few readers have even asked us where to move to see tornadoes up close, believe it or not. When we polled our followers, the consensus on perfect weather was plain English: clear blue skies, low humidity, temperatures around 75°F, and a light wind.
To compile this list we looked at temperature, sky conditions, precipitation, humidity, and wind. We also set a population floor of 50,000 so the list speaks to places where real numbers of people live, work, and raise families. The ranking reflects long-run averages, not any single summer, and it does not score cold-season data.
The 5 Worst Summer Weather Cities in the US
1. Miami, Florida
Let us be fair to the Magic City first. During the winter months Miami ranks high for great weather, with abundant sunshine and warm, pleasant temperatures. There is probably no better place to spend a winter vacation. But between May and October, the overall climate is anything but pleasant, and the thing that becomes abundant is precipitation.
Miami’s climate is subtropical marine, which is the technical way of saying hot, humid, and showery. It ranks second nationally behind Key West for hottest average mean temperature at 75.6°F annually. Factor in humidity alongside temperature and Miami lands sixth on the list of the ten most uncomfortable US cities. Among the top ten cities most prone to tropical-storm or hurricane effects, Miami ranks ninth.
Miami also lands tenth on the ten wettest-cities list, averaging 59.55 inches of rain annually. Nearly 44 of those inches typically fall between May and October, chiefly in thunderstorms that arrive in the afternoon, clear for an hour, and return by evening. Short version: keep an umbrella on the porch and another in the car.
2. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans has a subtropical temperate climate and generally sees little variation on any given summer day. Hot mornings start warm and sultry and end that way. Temperatures rarely climb much higher than 90°F, but the humidity is what makes a Louisiana afternoon oppressive. Spend one summer there and you will understand very quickly why the Big Easy is not easy without air conditioning.
Tropical storms are a serious concern for residents and visitors. While New Orleans is not at the top of the national hurricane-risk list, it sits high on it. Even tropical depressions can cause dangerous flooding. Regular summer storms produce heavy rainfalls that turn streets into temporary rivers, which is why street flooding is a continual issue in parts of the city.
Most of the city sits below sea level, held back by an extensive levee system and a network of canals and pumps. As Hurricane Katrina demonstrated in 2005, even those protections are not always enough. The levees were breached, leaving parts of the city underwater for many days. Every summer since, residents watch the tropics with one eye while the other keeps a bag packed.
3. Dallas, Texas
Dallas’ climate is often classified as humid subtropical, even though the region tends to receive warm, dry winds from the north and west during summer. Those winds push temperatures well over 100°F, and heat indices have been recorded as high as 117°F. Pavement shimmers. Lawns brown. School buses idle with the AC running.
Dallas ranks fourth among the most uncomfortable US cities. When you factor only temperature, the north central Texas region is one of the hottest in the country during summer, usually trailing only the Mojave Desert of Arizona, southern Nevada, and southeastern California. The difference is humidity: desert cities are dry. Dallas is not.
Summer in Dallas also brings severe thunderstorms that can spawn tornadoes. The city ranks third among major metropolitan areas for tornadic activity and fifth among cities most prone to large hail. If you live there, you know the drill: radar app open, cars parked under cover, pets indoors.
4. Mobile, Alabama
During July and August, Mobile reaches 90°F on two out of every three days. Combine those temperatures with afternoon relative humidity levels between 60 to 70 percent and the result is an oppressive, uncomfortable environment that Gulf-state residents know well.
Mobile also topped a list of the soggiest cities in the contiguous 48 states, collecting more than 5 feet of rain annually, according to a 2007 study by the San Francisco-based WeatherBill, Inc. The heaviest rainfalls come during mid- and late summer. Mobile also ranks high among the top thunderstorm cities in the country, with a storm every other day during July and August. Thankfully those storms tend to be short, often violent only in appearance, and seldom produce hail.
5. Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi sits on an inlet of the Gulf of America in south Texas and ranks ninth on the list of the nation’s ten hottest cities, averaging 72.1°F. Unlike other Gulf Coast cities, it collects only about 30 inches of rain a year, most of it in spring and early fall. Summers are mostly sunshine and big puffy clouds passing through. Severe tropical storms average only about one every ten years.
So why does Corpus make the list? The prevailing summer winds come from the southeast, right off the Gulf of America. Combine a steady warm, wet breeze with late-afternoon temperatures that usually peak around 94°F and you get a climate where you can break into a sweat walking to the mailbox. It is, by several uncomfortable-cities rankings, one of the most oppressive summer cities in the country.
The Rankings at a Glance
| Rank | City | Headline signal | Annual rain | Annual mean temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami, FL | Wet, humid, hurricane-prone | 59.55 in | 75.6°F |
| 2 | New Orleans, LA | Hot, sultry, flood-prone | – | – |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | 100+°F, 117°F heat index, tornadoes | – | – |
| 4 | Mobile, AL | 5+ ft rain, 2-of-3 days over 90°F | 60+ in | – |
| 5 | Corpus Christi, TX | Sweaty SE winds, 94°F peaks | ~30 in | 72.1°F |
Why Gulf Coast and South Cities Own This List
Four of the five cities sit on or near the Gulf of America. The reason is geography, not coincidence. Warm Gulf water feeds the air overhead, raising humidity and thunderstorm frequency. Dallas is the only inland entry and only because north-central Texas is a heat-and-hail belt all its own. Our 10 worst weather cities (year-round) list picks winners by cloud cover, rain, and snow across all four seasons; this list is a summer-only cut, which is why the rain-soaked Pacific Northwest is absent and the Gulf is over-represented.
If thunderstorm-heavy summers and tropical-storm risk are the common thread here, the pattern is worth watching. For a look at the cities where storms are the attraction rather than the problem, see our stormiest cities ranking.
What a Summer Actually Looks Like in These Cities
On paper the rankings read as heat and humidity. The lived experience is more textured. A Miami July is full of morning sun that cooks into a thunderstorm by three o’clock, clears for a glorious two-hour window, and builds back up by sunset. A New Orleans August carries a thick, still heaviness that does not lift even after a storm. Dallas weather turns on a dime: a dry-wind day over 100°F can flip into a shelf-cloud squall by evening.
Mobile measures summer in inches rather than degrees. Corpus Christi measures it in sweat-through shirts. None of these cities is unlivable. All of them ask you to plan your day in ninety-minute windows from June through September.
If You Live in One of These Cities, Plan Around the Season
Do your mid-day errands before 10 AM or after 7 PM. Run dehumidifiers and change filters on a schedule. Watch the NWS hurricane outlook all summer if you are in Miami, New Orleans, Mobile, or Corpus Christi; the same outlook matters for Dallas during the severe-storm peak of May and June. Our long-range forecast publishes seasonal outlooks you can plan against, and the Planting Calendar will keep your garden honest about what the heat actually permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What US city has the worst summer weather?
Miami, Florida, when you combine the full scorecard: 75.6°F annual mean, 59.55 inches of rain a year (nearly 44 of those between May and October), ninth on the list of tropical-storm-prone cities, and a humidity index that lands the city sixth among the ten most uncomfortable in the country.
Which US city gets the most summer rain?
Mobile, Alabama. It topped a 2007 WeatherBill study of the soggiest US cities in the contiguous 48 states with more than five feet of rain annually, with the heaviest rainfall in mid- and late summer.
Is Dallas really hotter than Phoenix?
Phoenix averages higher raw temperatures, but Dallas pairs triple-digit heat with much higher humidity. The net effect is a higher heat index. Dallas has recorded heat index readings up to 117°F, which is why it sits fourth on our most-uncomfortable-cities list.
Why is New Orleans on the list if temperatures rarely exceed 90°F?
Humidity. New Orleans has a subtropical temperate climate, and most summer days start hot and sultry and end the same way. The real issues are flood risk from tropical systems and the fact that below-sea-level geography amplifies every heavy rainfall, as Hurricane Katrina showed in 2005.
How do you define worst summer weather?
We scored each city on temperature, sky conditions, precipitation, humidity, and wind. Perfect weather, based on our reader poll, is clear blue skies, low humidity, 75°F, and a light wind. A city that scores poorly across most of those categories made the list. Population floor: 50,000.
Where can I see the data?
Long-run temperature and precipitation figures come from NOAA / NWS climate pages. The Mobile rainfall ranking is from a 2007 WeatherBill, Inc. study of contiguous-48 cities.
Caleb Weatherbee
Caleb Weatherbee is the official forecaster for the Farmers' Almanac. His name is actually a pseudonym that has been passed down through generations of Almanac prognosticators and has been used to conceal the true identity of the men and women behind our predictions.
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I was born and raised in the Chicago area, then moved after college to Dallas for 22 years and finally to Houston for 20 years now…the summers are brutal in Houston. I will take Dallas anyday, due to mosquitos swarming ALL day long in Houston from April to December. But Dallas is worse for my allergies. Chicago had brutally long winters…we wore winter coats on Easter many years. To sum it up, I want a summer home in the North and winter home in Houston, spring is gorgeous here…lol. Are there any perfect climate in the U.S.? Mexico has sooo many. (Yes, I have considered moving there…but I love my country.)
Hi Nora, We would love to see a family photo from Easter in Chicago. Thanks for dropping by to say hello and tell us your story!
I live in Dallas and let me tell you it’s worse than it sounds. Im writing this at nearly 8pm on July 16 and it is currently 101 outside. Summer is downright #$%@ here. Hell it hit 82 degrees on CHRISTMAS DAY HERE. From late may till late october, temps do not go below 70 degrees, you feel like you’re in an oven at 3 am or 3pm, doesn’t matter, every pool you try to get into to swim in feels more like a hot tub, the air is so thick with humidity some days it feels like you’re ingesting boiling water, and there’s very little to do except sit inside with ac at full blast and complain about how hot it is. Summer is disgusting here in Dallas.
Hi Tyler,
Being from the Northeast, we always enjoy summer but the winter can be trying. Sounds like you might enjoy winter a little more. Stay cool if you can and maybe take a trip north!
People complain about “cold” northern cities, but I’d rather deal with winter in any northern city any day of the week than agonizingly hot southern locations. Not only are northern cities experiencing milder winters with every passing year, but really, winter is only miserable for those who do not know how to dress for it. In contrast, there is no escaping heat other than laying in water all day (which gets quite boring after a short time) or sitting inside.
I really believe for some, there is no escaping the cold. They complain about the “cold” but are usually dealing with SAD, and unfortunately don’t realize it. Seasonal affected disorder/severe depression in winter is common in people especially those with olive or dark skin and dark eyes since they’re unable to get sufficient exposure to sun on their skin and with their eyes. If you have SAD in the winter, you know the only way to escape it is to get somewhere where you can lay out in the sun for a couple hours every day. When it’s cold, it’s a little hard to do that. I met someone with blond hair, light skin and light blue eyes that had SAD in the sunny summer months, and that person preferred colder climates. Makes sense … everyone’s different.
I don’t live in any of these cites! I normally only live in colder places but I might want to visit but I’m not sure
I live in Miami it sucks in the summer
Clicked on “our worst winter cities” got Oops! That page can’t be found.
Hi Wayne, I checked all the links and they’re working, can you try again?
Try Arizona.
In Florence Az alone we hit 118F.
Florence due to being in the middle of no mans land is always colder then phoenix in the winter and it always hotter in the summer.
Today is going to be another hot one.
Heaven is Prescott Az we love it here! 4 seasons- never too hot or too cold. Beautiful pine trees and cool evenings, abundant water. Please don’t all try and move here, we like our wide open spaces and friendly townspeople!!
We’ve said that in Colorado for decades – i wish you luck ?
If you don’t want people moving there, don’t advertise just how wonderful it is.
I can’t believe how many people continue to tell people to move to Texas or Florida. I live in neither one. (I agree with Jim if you really don’t want people moving there, do not tell them about how wonderful it is:)
Adolf Hitler would be governor in either state now.
Considered Prescott. Nothing to do there… very boring area
Laredo and Mcallen in Texas are the most uncomfortable hot climates in the US as it is the nastiest MIX of heat and humidity in our country.
The problem is they are so far south and the coast is just close enough to cause humidity but locked to the east far enough to not provide relief. The proximity to the coast increases humidity and the proximity to the desert to the west increases the heat. The two air masses meet and you have some of the hottest REAL FEEL temps for the longest time of year is Laredo, if going by when the sun is out and not counting when the sun goes down at night.
Florida doesn’t even come close to the misery of Laredo and Mcallen, I was in Laredo in March once and it was 98 with a Reel Feel of 118, and that’s March.
Was in Laredo outer-burbs in August and it was 112 with a reel feel of 130… That was the highest REAL FEEL temperature I have ever seen anywhere in the US. Even when Death Valley gets into the 120’s, the real feel is more like 110 due to no humidity.
I think #1 should be Orlando, Florida. Miami may have the highest avg. annual temperature, but that is only because Orlando is colder in winter. Orlando is actually hotter in summer and being inland, it does not get the ocean breezes. In Miami you can at least go to the beach and catch the seabreeze!
I always thought the same , miserable there!
I love heat after living in pac.NW, all the rain there 8 months of year but Bullhead City is unbearable with so much 120-118 Temps all summer. Lake Havasu City, beautiful place to live in winters.
Your name is Carol too?