Billings and Salt Lake City set all-time heat records as dangerous heat continues, U.S.
Billings, Montana, reached 43.9°C (111°F) and Salt Lake City, Utah, reached 42.8°C (109°F) on Sunday, July 12, 2026, setting all-time temperature records as Extreme Heat Warnings remained in effect across parts of the western and northern United States into Tuesday.
Image credit: Brent Pace
Billings reached 43.9°C (111°F) at 15:54 MDT on July 12, breaking its daily high temperature record of 41.7°C (107°F) set in 2002 and exceeding the city’s previously listed all-time record high of 42.2°C (108°F). The National Weather Service climate report for Billings lists the climate record period as 1934 to 2026 and shows the July 12 high was 13.3°C (24°F) above the 1991–2020 normal of 30.6°C (87°F).
Salt Lake City reached 42.8°C (109°F) at 14:53 MDT on July 12, setting a new all-time record high, according to the National Weather Service Salt Lake City forecast discussion. The city’s daily climate report lists a July 12 record-period span of 1874 to 2026 and shows the previous daily record for the date was 40.6°C (105°F), set in 2002, 2003, and 2024. The July 12 high was 8.3°C (15°F) above the normal high of 34.4°C (94°F).
The heat occurred under a strong ridge centered over the Dakotas, which placed Utah and southwest Wyoming under hot southerly flow aloft. NWS Salt Lake City said the pattern produced historically hot temperatures across northern Utah and southwest Wyoming, with Logan, Park City, and Duchesne at least close to monthly or all-time records pending later confirmation from morning reports.
The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said the heat wave produced all-time record highs across portions of the Great Basin to the northern High Plains on July 12, with triple-digit temperatures spreading across the northern Plains and Extreme Heat Warnings remaining in effect across a large portion of the Great Basin through the northern Plains.
Extreme Heat Warnings remained in effect after the July 12 records. For Billings, the warning remains in effect until 00:00 MDT (06:00 UTC) on July 15, with forecast highs around 38°C (100°F) on July 13 and around 38°C (101°F) on July 14. Overnight lows near 22°C (71–72°F) will offer limited cooling between hot afternoons.
The warning covers portions of south-central and southeast Montana. NWS Billings said very hot daytime temperatures combined with warm overnight lows would produce cumulative heat stress, while its forecast discussion said hot temperatures would continue in far eastern Montana and Sheridan County, Wyoming, into Wednesday.
NWS Billings also reported elevated to critical fire-weather concerns during the hot period because of hot temperatures, low relative humidity, and breezy winds. The July 12 Billings climate report recorded a lowest relative humidity of 4%, an average relative humidity of 24%, and a highest wind gust of 85 km/h (53 mph).
For Salt Lake City, the Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect until 06:00 MDT (12:00 UTC) on July 14. NWS forecast highs around 39°C (102°F) on July 13 and around 38°C (101°F) on July 14, with overnight lows near 23°C (73–75°F).
The Salt Lake City warning covers portions of central and northern Utah, including the Wasatch Front, Cache Valley, the mountain valleys of northern and central Utah, and parts of eastern and southern Utah. NWS Salt Lake City warned that heat-related illnesses increase during extreme heat events and that warm overnight temperatures would provide little relief.
References:
1 Climatological Report for Billings – NWS/Billings – July 12, 2026
2 Climatological Report for Salt Lake City – NWS/Salt Lake City – July 12, 2026
3 Area Forecast Discussion – NWS/Salt Lake City – July 13, 2026
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
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