Making extreme heat easy to see

HeatStorms.org is an independent site that tracks extreme heat across North America in plain language. We pull together free public data so you can see, at a glance, where heat is building, where official alerts are in effect, and how your own forecast compares to normal.

Why this site exists

Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States, yet it rarely gets the attention of a hurricane or a tornado. Heat waves are also getting bigger. In October 2026, Reuters introduced the term “heat storm” for the largest of them: heat waves that spread across areas the size of half of Canada or more. We think heat deserves the same clear, easy-to-find tracking that storms get.

What you’ll find here

A live heat risk map for the United States, with a seven-day outlook from the National Weather Service.
Every active heat alert in the US and Canada: advisories, watches and warnings from the National Weather Service and Environment Canada.
A local check that compares this week’s highs with normal for any city or ZIP code in the US, Canada or Mexico.
Plain-language explainers about heat storms, heat safety, and the science behind them.
Coming soon: a tracker that detects and names heat storms over North America.

Independent and transparent

HeatStorms.org is not affiliated with Reuters, the National Weather Service, or any other news organization or government agency. We don’t change the data we display, and our methodology page explains exactly where every number comes from and its limits.

This site is for information. For decisions about your safety, always follow official warnings from the National Weather Service, your national weather agency, and local officials.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections or ideas? Send us a message. And if you’d like a heads-up when a heat storm forms or heads your way, sign up for email alerts.