Two major cities contend for the title of hottest city in the United States. The city that comes out on top depends on how you measure heat.

Phoenix Arizona excels at extreme hot weather. It consistently ranks number one for the most days a year when temperatures rise above 89 °F or 99 °F.

Miami challenges Phoenix for top spot on hottest year-round temperatures. Miami doesn't get regular 100-degree weather. But the southern Florida city stays hot enough all year to run an average mean temperature that's a couple of degrees above Phoenix's.

For annual maximum temperatures, the rankings are flipped. Phoenix's daily high averages out to several degrees above Miami's.

Where the two cities stand closest is on the number of days a year with temperatures of at least 50 °F (10 °C). Miami and Phoenix, along with a few California cities, normally make at least 50 degrees every day.

Highest Temperatures

Large US cities where the temperature most often climbs to 100 °F (37.8 °C) or higher. City Days a Year

Above 99 °F Phoenix, Arizona 107 Las Vegas, Nevada 70 Riverside, California 24 Dallas, Texas 17 Austin, Texas 16 Sacramento, California 11 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 11 San Antonio, Texas 8 Salt Lake City, Utah 5 Houston, Texas 4 Kansas City, Missouri 3

These rankings of hottest cities use long-term temperature averages, based on weather data collected from 1981 to 2010 for the NOAA's National Climatic Data Center.

The major cities included in the weather rankings represent the 51 metropolitan areas in the United States with the most people, all those with over one million residents in 2010, according to the US Census Bureau. A complete list of America's largest urban centers is available here.

Warmest Climates

Twelve major US cities have a daily mean temperature above 65 °F (18 °C) City Daily Average °F °C Miami, Florida 77 25 Phoenix, Arizona 75 24 Tampa, Florida 73 23 Orlando, Florida 73 23 Houston, Texas 70 21 New Orleans, Louisiana 70 21 San Antonio, Texas 70 21 Austin, Texas 69 21 Las Vegas, Nevada 69 21 Jacksonville, Florida 69 20 Dallas, Texas 67 20 Riverside, California 67 19

Cities with temperatures of at least 50 °F (10 °C) nearly every day City Days a Year Above 49 °F Los Angeles, California 365 Miami, Florida 365 San Diego, California 365 Riverside, California 365 Phoenix, Arizona 365 Orlando, Florida 364 Tampa, Florida 364 San Jose, California 362 Jacksonville, Florida 360 San Francisco, California 360

Hottest Days