Table of contents

Extreme Heat Outlook: Summer 2025

EcoFlow

Table of contents

The world is getting hotter.

2023 was the warmest year on record ^[1]and 2015 - 2024 was the warmest decade.^[2]

The average global temperature is 1.45°C higher than it was before the Industrial Revolution.

One and a half degrees Celsius — 2.61°F — may not sound like a lot, but overwhelming scientific consensus is that it’s leading to a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like heat waves.

In 2025, 33 of 192 major cities in the US experienced one of their top 10 warmest Junes on record.^[3]

According to The Guardian, “Extreme heat [in 2025] could be widespread and unrelenting: only far northern Alaska may escape unusually warm temperatures from June through August.”

If the forecasts are correct, 2025’s heat waves are about to get worse…

Understanding the Expected Impact of Extreme Heat

At best, extreme heat events make life unpleasant for almost everyone…

At worst, heat waves cause mass fatalities, widespread power outages, wildfires, and more.

In 2023, Maricopa County, AZ — which includes Phoenix — recorded 645 heat-related deaths, many due to a lack of air conditioning.

Heat waves can also have a devastating impact on infrastructure.

Blackouts become more frequent due to reduced power line efficiency and excessive electricity demand, resulting in extended outages that can last for days.

Roads and railways buckle under extreme heat.

Even if disasters are avoided, the health consequences of heat waves are often severe.

The Health Risks of Extreme Heat Exposure

Extreme heat and humidity tend to make life unpleasant at best.

At worst, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration can lead to severe illness and death.

Extreme heat is exceedingly dangerous for the elderly, young children, and people with chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes.

Low-income communities are also at risk due to a lack of air conditioning equipment or the inability to pay higher electricity bills during hot summer months and heat waves.

In many parts of the US, air conditioning isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a government program that “provides heating and cooling assistance to roughly 6.7 million households.”

Funding comes from the federal government, but LIHEAP is administered at a state, regional, or local level.

If you or a loved one is experiencing difficulty paying heating or cooling energy bills, you can check for LIHEAP eligibility here or by calling the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) toll-free at 1-866-674-4327.

Planning for Extreme Weather Events

In many parts of the country, heat waves are less of an unexpected event and more of an inevitability.

While extreme weather events like tornadoes and flash floods can strike with very little warning, modern forecasting can reliably predict heat waves many days in advance, giving communities crucial time to prepare.

When heat warnings come, there are also steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.

Preparing Your Home for Extreme Heat

Insulation isn’t just for cold weather. Weather stripping on doors and windows helps keep cool air in and hot air out, saving money on electricity bills.
Draw the curtains and close the blinds. Limiting exposure to direct sunlight helps cool the interior of your home.
Service your HVAC system before summer and heat warnings begin. Beat the rush!
Purchase home battery backup for power outages that often occur in extreme heat.

Emergency Supplies and Planning

Stock up your emergency kit with non-perishable food, drinking water, medications, a first aid kit, etc.
Make a list of public cooling centers in your area. Libraries, malls, and community centers often serve as safe havens in extreme heat.
Consult your doctor about medical conditions that high temperatures and humidity could exacerbate.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration is among the most common causes of illness and death in extreme heat. Ensure you have more than enough drinking water on hand and consume it regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty. The Red Cross recommends drinking “about ¾ of a gallon of water daily.”
Avoid caffeine, sugary, and alcoholic drinks.
Eat light meals and avoid using your stove and oven.

Heat Waves Cause Power Outages

The rise in average temperatures and increasing frequency and severity of heat waves are significantly straining America’s aging power grid.

Electricity demand is exploding, due in part to the growing energy needs of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and cloud infrastructure.

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), which is “funded by the Department of Energy and has produced 16 Nobel Prizes, [estimate that by 2028, the power going to AI-specific purposes will rise to between 165 and 326 terawatt-hours per year.”

According to MIT Technology Review, “That’s more than all the electricity currently used by US data centers for all purposes; it’s enough to power 22% of US households each year. That could generate the same emissions as driving over 300 billion miles—over 1,600 round trips to the sun from Earth.”

Even without skyrocketing data-center electricity demand, when temperatures soar, businesses and consumers require significantly more power to meet their air conditioning needs.

When demand exceeds supply, the spike can damage and shut down the grid.

Aside from demand spikes, heat waves put additional strain on utility infrastructure, including:

Reduced efficiency
Fires and short circuits from sagging power lines
Transformer and substation overheating, which can lead to involuntary or intentional blackouts
Solar panel efficiency declines in extreme heat

Summer 2025 has already seen widespread brownouts and blackouts across the US.

Al Jazeera reports that, in June, Con Edison intentionally reduced power voltage in Brooklyn by 8% to make grid repairs, leading to widespread brownouts and blackouts.

(Source: NERC)

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warns that “large parts of the US have insufficient power reserves to operate in above-normal conditions, including parts of the Midwest, Texas, New England, and southern California.

Extraordinary steps are being taken to increase the electricity supply in the US.

Tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have announced plans to build nuclear power plants to meet their growing electricity needs.

However, building nuclear power plants typically takes about a decade to complete.

In the short to mid-term, grid instability and power outages will likely increase in frequency and severity.

Ready to Explore EcoFlow's Energy Solutions for Your Needs?

The consequences of extreme heat events can be devastating, but fortunately, you can take steps to minimize disruptions and protect you and your loved ones’ health.

Keeping your home temperate and comfortable during power outages is an investment that pays off, whether it’s warming up during a deep freeze in winter or cooling off during a heat wave.

EcoFlow’s whole-home backup power solutions can keep your HVAC systems and appliances operating during even extended blackouts.

Smart devices like the EcoFlow WAVE 3 Portable AC and Heater can provide emergency temperature management for a safe room in your house.

Check out our selection today and stay safe (and comfortable) in extreme heat.