Al Jazeera analyses 20 years of climate data from more than 1,200 cities around the world. Here is what we found.
Earlier this month, data released by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA) showed that the last month was the Earth’s hottest June since global record-keeping began in 1850.
June 2024 was not just too hot, but the 13th consecutive month that a global heat record was broken.
Heatwaves have become more frequent and cities are experiencing more days above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
But where does the mercury rise the highest and how does your city compare with the rest of the world?
In the following infographic series, Al Jazeera ranks the hottest temperatures recorded in more than 1,200 cities around the world between 2004 and 2023.
Where do you think your country ranks?
If you have never experienced 50C (122F) or even 40C (104F) heat, it is difficult to grasp just how hot that feels.
Of the 1,283 cities we analysed, 585 recorded a maximum temperature greater than 40C (104F), with 19 reaching a high of at least 50C (122F).
With that in mind, how do you think your city ranks?
Select your nearest city, and then drag the slider to guess.
Where are the hottest cities located?
Over the past 20 years, the highest temperatures were recorded in just five cities across four countries across the Middle East:
- Iran – seven times
- Iraq – six times
- Kuwait – five times
- Saudi Arabia – two times
These cities fall along the Tropic of Cancer, an imaginary line located approximately 23.5 degrees north of the equator that receives the most amount of direct sunlight.
Moreover, they are all located in the desert and very close to sea level where heat radiates.
The Iranian city of Ahvaz has recorded the highest temperature seven times over the past 20 years, consistently exceeding 50C.
Only 120km (75 miles) away, in Iraq’s Basra, temperatures have hit global highs six times, including in 2022 when the city recorded a sweltering 53C (127F).
Keep in mind that these official temperatures are recorded in the shade, so the temperatures outside may be higher.
Cities that regularly hit 50C
Over the past 20 years, 19 cities from 15 countries have recorded maximum temperatures of 50C (122F) or above.
Iraq’s Basra recorded at least 129 days of 50C topping temperatures, followed by Iran’s Ahvaz with 84 days and Jahra in Kuwait with 83 days.
The graphic below shows all the cities that have hit 50C over the past 20 years.
Your city’s temperature signature
If you have ever wondered how your city’s maximum temperature compares with the rest of the world, the graphic below is for you.
Here, we calculated how many days per year each city’s maximum temperatures fall between various ranges.
For example, Aswan in Egypt on average records temperatures in the range of 10-20C (50-68F) for 10 days per year, 20-30C (68-86F) for 102 days, 30C-40C (86-104F) for 127 days and 40C-50C (104-122F) for 126 days.
These temperature signatures are shown for regions across the world.
Explore more the data from more than 1,200 cities below: