New Orleans Heat & Recovery Index (2016–2026)
This page counts how often New Orleans reaches a 90°F, 95°F, 100°F, or 105°F heat index. The tables use quality-controlled NOAA observations from New Orleans International Airport (KMSY) and the standard National Weather Service heat-index formula. The 2016–2025 years are complete; 2026 runs through August 27. Published and maintained by NOLA Chill, a recovery studio at 6045 Magazine Street. Runners and outdoor athletes should also use current NWS heat index and WBGT guidance before activity.
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Annual heat-index days, 2016–2026
Number of calendar days per year on which the daily maximum National Weather Service heat index reached each threshold.
| Year | ≥90°F | ≥95°F | ≥100°F | ≥105°F | Highest heat index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 144 | 119 | 85 | 46 | 114°F (Jul 4) |
| 2017 | 120 | 85 | 39 | 8 | 107°F (Aug 13) |
| 2018 | 158 | 142 | 97 | 32 | 115°F (Jul 23) |
| 2019 | 152 | 126 | 74 | 26 | 112°F (Aug 13) |
| 2020 | 135 | 94 | 57 | 28 | 121°F (Jul 13) |
| 2021 | 125 | 89 | 53 | 23 | 111°F (Jul 31) |
| 2022 | 135 | 105 | 65 | 15 | 110°F (Jul 9) |
| 2023 | 133 | 104 | 77 | 56 | 116°F (Jun 29) |
| 2024 | 149 | 115 | 82 | 42 | 116°F (Jul 1) |
| 2025 | 142 | 123 | 93 | 46 | 115°F (Jul 23) |
| 2026 (through Aug 27) | 100 | 85 | 63 | 20 | 111°F (Jul 21) |
What a typical month looks like (2016–2025 averages)
Average number of days per month at each feels-like threshold, across the last ten full years.
| Month | ≥90°F | ≥95°F | ≥100°F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| May | 14.5 | 7.1 | 2.2 |
| June | 27.8 | 23.7 | 15.1 |
| July | 31.0 | 29.2 | 23.5 |
| August | 30.1 | 28.1 | 21.7 |
| September | 24.4 | 17.7 | 8.3 |
| October | 8.7 | 4.2 | 1.3 |
| November | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| December | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Key findings
- July is the most consistent high-heat month. Across 2016–2025, all 31 July days reached a 90°F heat index on average, and 23.5 days reached 100°F.
- 2023 had the most extreme-heat days: 56 days at or above a 105°F heat index. The highest single derived reading in the ten full years was 121°F on July 13, 2020.
- The season is long. Ninety-degree heat-index days regularly appear from May through September, with occasional days in April, October, and November.
- 2026 is close to the decade norm through August 27: 100 days at or above 90°F versus a 2016–2025 same-period average of 102. It has logged 63 days at or above 100°F versus an average of 60.8, but fewer 105°F days than average (20 versus 29.8).
Heat and recovery, in practice
None of this is medical advice. It is what living with a five-month heat season looks like in practice. Public-health guidance for heat is consistent: hydrate before you are thirsty, plan hard efforts for early morning, take shade and cooling breaks, and give your body one to two weeks to acclimate when the first 90°F stretch arrives.
Feeling unwell in the heat? Stop activity and move to a cool place. Confusion, collapse, or seizures can signal heat stroke: call 911 and begin cooling while help arrives. A person with heat stroke may still be sweating.
Wellness appointments do not treat overheating, dehydration, or heat illness. Read CDC heat-illness signs and first aid.
Methodology
Counts are derived from quality-controlled NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network hourly observations for station USW00012916, New Orleans International Airport (KMSY). For each observation, NOLA Chill converts temperature and relative humidity into the standard National Weather Service heat index, groups observations by America/Chicago calendar date, and records the daily maximum. Complete historical years cover January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2025. The 2026 row runs through August 27; NCEI observations were supplemented with the open NWS API for August 26–27. Airport readings can differ from individual neighborhoods, and heat index is defined for shade and light wind; direct sun can feel hotter.
More from our data desk
Training and Recovering in New Orleans Heat: A Practical Guide · Running in New Orleans Heat: Month-by-Month Almanac · The Evidence Library · US South Cryotherapy Price Index
Cite this page
NOLA Chill releases these derived counts for reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
NOLA Chill (2026). New Orleans Heat & Recovery Index, 2016–2026. Retrieved from https://nolachill.com/new-orleans-heat-recovery-index/. Underlying observations: NOAA NCEI GHCNh and National Weather Service.
Last verified: August 28, 2026. Historical tables cover complete data through August 27; the reading at the top checks the latest NWS KMSY observation automatically.
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Frequently asked questions
How many days a year does New Orleans reach a 90-degree heat index?
From 2016 through 2025, KMSY recorded between 120 and 158 days per year with a daily maximum heat index of at least 90°F. The ten-year average was 139.3 days.
What is the hottest month in New Orleans by heat index?
July. Across 2016–2025, an average of 31.0 July days reached at least 90°F, 29.2 reached 95°F, and 23.5 reached 100°F. August was close behind.
What was the highest New Orleans heat index in this dataset?
The highest daily maximum derived from the KMSY observations was 121°F on July 13, 2020. That value uses the standard National Weather Service heat-index formula.
Is 2026 hotter than normal in New Orleans?
Through August 27, 2026, the season was close to the 2016–2025 norm by 90°F days: 100 versus a same-period average of 102. It was slightly above average for 100°F days and below average for 105°F days.