Heat Wave
A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and unusually humid weather typically lasting two or more days with temperatures outside the historical averages for a given area.
In the National Risk Index, a Heat Wave Risk Index score and rating represent a community's relative risk for Heat Waves when compared to the rest of the United States. A Heat Wave Expected Annual Loss score and rating represent a community's relative level of expected building and population loss each year due to Heat Waves when compared to the rest of the United States.
Heat Wave Exposure
A Heat Wave exposure value represents a community's building value (in dollars), population (in both people and population equivalence), and agriculture value (in dollars) exposed to Heat Waves.
Heat Wave Annualized Frequency
A Heat Wave annualized frequency value represents the average number of recorded Heat Wave hazard occurrences (event-days) per year over the period of record (16.9 years).
Source Data
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service Weather Alerts compiled and archived by Iowa State University's Iowa Environmental Mesonet
Heat Wave Historic Loss Ratio
A Heat Wave historic loss ratio is the representative percentage of the exposed consequence type value (building, population, or agriculture) expected to be lost due to a Heat Wave hazard occurrence.
Heat Wave Processing Methodology
For comprehensive details about the Heat Wave processing methodology, see the National Risk Index Technical Documentation.