DisasterAWARE
7
Very High

extreme-heat Extreme Heat Risk in Washington, DC

Risk Level: Very High — Score 7/10

FEMA: 7Historical: 10

Live Extreme Heat alert status near Washington

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Live extreme heat activity around Washington — refreshed throughout the day.

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Key Risk Factors

  • FEMA rates Washington's county as Relatively High risk
  • Estimated annual loss of $40M from this hazard type
  • 18 events recorded in proximity in recent decades
  • Active in the last 12 months (8 events)
  • Average annual frequency: 6.1 events per year

Peak season: June-September

Last significant event: Heat - Washington–Baltimore metro and Eastern Shore, United States (2026-07-18) — 6,240,000 people exposed

Highest Risk Cities for Extreme Heats

1
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
2
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
3
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
4
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
5
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
6
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
7
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
8
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
9
Risk: 9Historical: 10
10
Risk: 9Historical: 10
Washington is not in the top 10 for extreme heat risk among tracked cities.

How Washington Compares

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Notable Extreme Heat Events Near Washington

DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable extreme heat events near Washington, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Extreme Heat - Eastern United States (June 2025) — 91,006,790 people exposed; $21,897,084M capital exposed.

Extreme Heat - Eastern United States

June 22, 2025 WARNING

91,006,790 people exposed; $21,897,084M capital exposed

Extreme Heat - Northeastern United States

June 16, 2024 WARNING

76,736,000 people exposed; $17,374,827M capital exposed

Excessive Heat - Washington D.C. metro (DC, central/northern Maryland and northern Virginia), Unite

July 3, 2026 WATCH

9,490,000 people exposed; $2,352,552M capital exposed

Cold Weather - Washington metro (DC, MD, Northern VA), United States

January 26, 2026 ADVISORY

8,890,000 people exposed; $2,261,237M capital exposed

Heat - Washington–Baltimore metro and Eastern Shore, United States

July 17, 2026 ADVISORY

6,240,000 people exposed; $1,848,691M capital exposed

Extreme Heat Preparedness Tips

  • 1.Stay hydrated — drink water regularly even if you don’t feel thirsty
  • 2.Avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours (10 AM – 4 PM)
  • 3.Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke
  • 4.Check on elderly neighbors and those without air conditioning
  • 5.Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle

Related Pages

How this data is built

Washington, DC extreme heat risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live extreme heat monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.

Monitor Extreme Heat Risk in Real Time

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