Counties are coloured by heat-health alert status (red = today, pink = tomorrow). Click a county for its multi-day forecast.

Disclaimer: This tool is provided “as is” for informational purposes only and without any warranty. It simply displays which North Carolina counties are forecast to exceed a regional heat-index threshold on a given date. It does not send official alerts—please visit the NC DHHS Heat Health Alert System website to sign up for email notifications.

About this tool

Links:

How it works:

  • The Heat Health Alert System is operated by the NCDHHS Climate & Health team to send out heat alerts via email when the forecasted daily maximum heat index reaches unhealthy levels (May 1–September 30).
  • Subscribers receive alerts when their county’s forecasted maximum heat index meets or exceeds the regional threshold.

Why this matters:

  • Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S., surpassing hurricanes and tornadoes.
  • In North Carolina, summers are getting hotter and more humid, with more days above 90°F and nights staying above 75°F.
  • The HHAS helps protect vulnerable populations—elderly, young, outdoor workers, and those with pre-existing conditions.

2025 Surveillance Regions:

Figure: Eight NC regions grouped by similar climate.

Season-specific Thresholds:

Figure: 2025 heat index thresholds for Early (May 1–Jun 21), Mid (Jun 22–Aug 11), and Late (Aug 12–Sep 30) seasons.

What's New in 2025:

Focused on improving seasonal accuracy and refining alert thresholds based on collaborative scientific evaluation between NCDHHS and Duke’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub.