Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023

Name: Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023
Start: 2023-08-21
End: 2023-09-02
Location: United States

Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023: 122 records at 47 stations, peak on 27 August 2023. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-17. Last revised 17 October 2026 (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023 set or tied 122 station records at 47 stations.
It ran from 21 August 2023 to 2 September 2023 (13 days) and its peak day was 27 August 2023.
Status: closed.
Haines AP set a daily record high minimum temperature of 15.0 C (59.0 F) on 30 August 2023.
The busiest day was 27 August 2023 with 25 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 100 years.

Footprint

21 August to 2 September 2023

The area covered by Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023 is outlined, with 14 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Haines AP	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	2023-08-30
Anchorage Merrill Fld	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	2023-08-27
Yakutat AP	Record high minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	2023-08-29
Cordova AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	2023-08-27
Little Port Walter	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	2023-08-30
Talkeetna AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	2023-08-24
Matanuska Exp Farm	Record high minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	2023-08-27
Homer AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	2023-08-27
Gulkana AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	2023-08-29
Puntilla	Record high minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	2023-08-24
Ben's Farm	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	2023-08-27
Wrangell AP	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	2023-08-29
Auke Bay	Record high minimum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	2023-08-30
Gilmore Creek	Record high minimum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	2023-08-30

Records per Day

Peak day 25

Records set or tied each day from 21 August 2023 to 2 September 2023. The most in one day was 25 on 27 August 2023.

Records per day during Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023
Date	Records
2023-08-21	2
2023-08-22	2
2023-08-23	7
2023-08-24	7
2023-08-25	10
2023-08-26	14
2023-08-27	25
2023-08-28	14
2023-08-29	24
2023-08-30	9
2023-08-31	3
2023-09-01	4
2023-09-02	1

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023 ranked by margin
Gulkana AP, 08-29	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Ben's Farm, 08-27	3.3 C (5.9 F)
Haines AP, 08-30	2.2 C (4.0 F)
Gilmore Creek, 08-30	2.2 C (4.0 F)
Yakutat AP, 08-29	1.7 C (3.1 F)
Anchorage Merrill Fld, 08-27	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Little Port Walter, 08-30	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Yakutat AP, 08-28	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Anchorage Merrill Fld, 09-01	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Matanuska Exp Farm, 08-27	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Puntilla, 08-24	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Auke Bay, 08-30	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Wrangell AP, 08-29	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Cordova AP, 08-27	0.6 C (1.1 F)
Talkeetna AP, 08-24	0.6 C (1.1 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

122 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.2	86
1.7	92
1.1	100
0.6	100
0.5	100
1.1	86
1.1	86
0.5	93
1.1	86
0.6	86
1.1	65
0.5	73
3.9	37
1.1	60
0.5	64
1.1	56
3.3	36
2.2	56
1.1	44
0.5	52
3.3	28
1.7	44
1.7	45
1.1	54
2.8	48
1.1	50
1.2	45
1.2	33
1.6	32
2.2	28
1.6	36
0.5	44
1.1	44
1.6	33
0.5	33
1.1	28
3.9	8
3.3	33
2.2	26
1.1	33
2.3	32
2.2	36
1.1	33
0.5	41
0.6	41
2.8	29
0.6	36
2.2	28
0.5	26
0.6	32
0.5	33
2.8	4
2.2	33
1.1	29
3.4	4
0.6	33
0.6	33
1.6	36
1.7	33
1.7	29
1.0	29
1.1	6
3.9	9
1.1	28
1.1	33
3.9	12
1.3	29
0.6	25
0.6	28
1.7	0
1.7	29
1.2	25
0.3	33
0.6	9
0.6	29
0.5	25
1.1	29
3.9	6
0.6	32
0.5	6
0.6	6
1.7	12
0.5	28
0.5	20
0.6	20
2.7	16
2.3	4
0.6	28
0.6	28
2.9	16
0.6	9
1.6	12
0.6	20
0.5	6
0.5	2
1.1	17
0.5	28
2.8	4
0.5	6
0.6	6
1.7	8
0.1	21
1.0	16
1.6	1
2.8	0
1.3	16
1.2	8
1.4	12
1.1	8
0.9	6
0.9	6
0.9	6
0.6	6
0.5	6
0.6	0
0.5	8
1.7	2
0.4	6
0.3	6
0.6	0
0.5	8
0.3	5

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023 compared with similar events
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 2024	9,869 records
Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 2026	6,528 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 2020	5,047 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 2021	3,669 records
Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 2022	3,626 records
Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023 (this event)	122 records

Every Record Set

20 of 122

Every record set or tied during Heat wave in United States, 21 August to 2 September 2023, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2023-08-24	Talkeetna AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	86	37 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-24	Puntilla	Record high minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	60	29 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-25	Puntilla	Record high minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	64	28 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-26	Anchorage Merrill Fld	Record high maximum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	93	39 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-27	Anchorage Merrill Fld	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	100	43 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-27	Cordova AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	100	42 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-27	Matanuska Exp Farm	Record high minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	65	32 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-27	Homer AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	73	32 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-27	Ben's Farm	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	36	27 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-28	Cordova AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	100	41 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-28	Yakutat AP	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	86	40 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-29	Yakutat AP	Record high minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	92	43 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-29	Gulkana AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	37	31 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-29	Wrangell AP	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	44	27 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-29	Cordova AP	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	52	26 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-30	Haines AP	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	86	45 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-30	Little Port Walter	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	86	40 of 100 (Notable)
2023-08-30	Auke Bay	Record high minimum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	56	27 of 100 (Routine)
2023-08-30	Gilmore Creek	Record high minimum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	56	27 of 100 (Routine)
2023-09-01	Anchorage Merrill Fld	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	86	38 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 122 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.2	86
1.7	92
1.1	100
0.6	100
0.5	100
1.1	86
1.1	86
0.5	93
1.1	86
0.6	86
1.1	65
0.5	73
3.9	37
1.1	60
0.5	64
1.1	56
3.3	36
2.2	56
1.1	44
0.5	52
3.3	28
1.7	44
1.7	45
1.1	54
2.8	48
1.1	50
1.2	45
1.2	33
1.6	32
2.2	28
1.6	36
0.5	44
1.1	44
1.6	33
0.5	33
1.1	28
3.9	8
3.3	33
2.2	26
1.1	33
2.3	32
2.2	36
1.1	33
0.5	41
0.6	41
2.8	29
0.6	36
2.2	28
0.5	26
0.6	32
0.5	33
2.8	4
2.2	33
1.1	29
3.4	4
0.6	33
0.6	33
1.6	36
1.7	33
1.7	29
1.0	29
1.1	6
3.9	9
1.1	28
1.1	33
3.9	12
1.3	29
0.6	25
0.6	28
1.7	0
1.7	29
1.2	25
0.3	33
0.6	9
0.6	29
0.5	25
1.1	29
3.9	6
0.6	32
0.5	6
0.6	6
1.7	12
0.5	28
0.5	20
0.6	20
2.7	16
2.3	4
0.6	28
0.6	28
2.9	16
0.6	9
1.6	12
0.6	20
0.5	6
0.5	2
1.1	17
0.5	28
2.8	4
0.5	6
0.6	6
1.7	8
0.1	21
1.0	16
1.6	1
2.8	0
1.3	16
1.2	8
1.4	12
1.1	8
0.9	6
0.9	6
0.9	6
0.6	6
0.5	6
0.6	0
0.5	8
1.7	2
0.4	6
0.3	6
0.6	0
0.5	8
0.3	5

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.2	86
1.7	92
1.1	100
0.6	100
0.5	100
1.1	86
1.1	86
0.5	93
1.1	86
0.6	86
1.1	65
0.5	73
3.9	37
1.1	60
0.5	64
1.1	56
3.3	36
2.2	56
1.1	44
0.5	52
3.3	28
1.7	44
1.7	45
1.1	54
2.8	48
1.1	50
1.2	45
1.2	33
1.6	32
2.2	28
1.6	36
0.5	44
1.1	44
1.6	33
0.5	33
1.1	28
3.9	8
3.3	33
2.2	26
1.1	33
2.3	32
2.2	36
1.1	33
0.5	41
0.6	41
2.8	29
0.6	36
2.2	28
0.5	26
0.6	32
0.5	33
2.8	4
2.2	33
1.1	29
3.4	4
0.6	33
0.6	33
1.6	36
1.7	33
1.7	29
1.0	29
1.1	6
3.9	9
1.1	28
1.1	33
3.9	12
1.3	29
0.6	25
0.6	28
1.7	0
1.7	29
1.2	25
0.3	33
0.6	9
0.6	29
0.5	25
1.1	29
3.9	6
0.6	32
0.5	6
0.6	6
1.7	12
0.5	28
0.5	20
0.6	20
2.7	16
2.3	4
0.6	28
0.6	28
2.9	16
0.6	9
1.6	12
0.6	20
0.5	6
0.5	2
1.1	17
0.5	28
2.8	4
0.5	6
0.6	6
1.7	8
0.1	21
1.0	16
1.6	1
2.8	0
1.3	16
1.2	8
1.4	12
1.1	8
0.9	6
0.9	6
0.9	6
0.6	6
0.5	6
0.6	0
0.5	8
1.7	2
0.4	6
0.3	6
0.6	0
0.5	8
0.3	5