Whether you’re making your way to work each day, going for a run, or just hanging out by the pool, it can be difficult to stay cool as temperatures climb this summer. And in some American cities, it’s a lot more of a challenge than in others.
To find out where it’s toughest to beat the heat, 2018 marks the fourth annual ranking of America’s Sweatiest Cities conducted by the marketers of Honeywell Fans, and environmental consulting company, Environmental Health & Engineering (EH&E). New criteria were introduced this year including humidity levels, length of summer, and access to shade, which resulted in Orlando, FL topping the list.
“In preparation for the impending heat and inevitable perspiration, this year we looked at a variety of criteria to see which cities had the longest summer season, the fewest bodies of water, the highest humidity, and the highest temperature days in a row, all contributing to a city’s ‘sweat factor’,” said Dr. Ted Myatt, ScD, who led the study by EH&E. “There were several new factors taken into account this year, including which cities had the least amount of shade due to lack of tree coverage.”
Predicted to have the sweatiest residents this year, Orlando secured the number one spot in the annual ranking. The city boasts the highest average summer temperatures, percentage of relative humidity, and number of days above 90 degrees. Orlando also ranks in the top five for the longest summer season.
Only two cities from last year’s list made the ranking this year — New Orleans and Atlanta — with two newcomers on the list from Texas.
Wondering what other cities made the top 10 this year? Don’t sweat it, here they are:
- Orlando, FL
- New Orleans, LA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Dallas, TX
- Las Vegas, NV
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Kansas City, MO
- Austin, TX
- Atlanta, GA
- Memphis, TN
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