NOAA issued extreme heat alerts for over 90 million people across the Mid-Mississippi Valley and Mid-South on July 21, 2025, as a prolonged, dangerous heat wave continues across central and southeastern United States.
Dongkan National Meteorological Station in the Turpan Basin, Xinjiang, recorded an air temperature of 48.7 °C (119.7 °F) on July 20, 2025, setting a new all-time high for the station. Two nearby automated weather stations in the basin recorded temperatures over 50 °C (122 °F) the same day, including Mangxiaohu at 50.7 °C (123.3 °F). This marks one of the highest official temperatures ever recorded at a national meteorological station in China.
A dangerous and long-duration heat wave is forecast to affect large portions of the central and eastern United States from July 20 through August 1, 2025, beginning in the Southeast this weekend and expanding into the Mid-South, Mississippi Valley, and Midwest early next week. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has issued a high confidence outlook for extreme heat, with daily maximum heat index values exceeding 38°C (100°F) and limited overnight cooling.
Extreme heat affecting vast areas of China on July 16, 2025, pushed the national maximum electricity load above 1.5 billion kilowatts for the first time on record, marking the third new peak this month. Temperatures exceeded 46°C (114.8°F) at local stations in Xi’an and reached 42.2°C (108.0°F) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with widespread nighttime heat and record-high ground temperatures observed.
Nuclear power plants in France and Switzerland were forced to shut down or reduce output between July 1 and 3, 2025, as a major heatwave raised river water temperatures above regulatory cooling thresholds.
At least eight people have died across Spain, France, and Italy as an early-summer heatwave swept across Europe in late June and early July 2025, breaking temperature records and prompting red alerts and emergency responses.
Sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean Sea reached up to 30 °C (86 °F) in early July 2025, with anomalies of 5–6 °C (9–10.8 °F) above average under strong to severe marine heatwave conditions.
Temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) led to the closure of over 1 350 schools in France and work restrictions across 13 Italian regions between June 30 and July 2, 2025, as a persistent heat dome caused red-level alerts and severe public health risks across southern Europe.
Japan recorded its hottest June since records began in 1898, with average temperatures 2.34°C (4.21°F) above normal and over 200 locations registering highs of 35°C (95°F) or more, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported on June 30, 2025.
Two heat-related deaths were reported in Texas and Missouri between June 21 and 23, 2025, as a prolonged and intense heat wave driven by a persistent heat dome engulfed large parts of the central and eastern United States. Extreme heat will linger in the Ohio Valley through Friday, then we will finally see some relief from the heat this weekend.
