How do we make the most of an American summer?

Summer runs roughly from Memorial Day at the end of May to Labor Day in early September, and school is out for most of it. It brings long evenings, beaches and road trips, but also heat that is far stronger than a British summer, the Atlantic hurricane season and, in the West, wildfire smoke.

How hot does it get?

US weather is reported in Fahrenheit. As a rough guide, 86°F is 30°C and 95°F is 35°C. These are the average July highs and lows for 1991 to 2020 from NOAA, the US weather and climate agency. Heatwaves go well above them, and humidity makes the East Coast and Florida feel hotter than the number suggests.

San Francisco is the odd one out: summer there is cool, so pack a jumper.

Heat safety

The National Weather Service (NWS) issues three levels of heat alert. A Heat Advisory means dangerous heat: consider moving outdoor plans and stay somewhere cool in the heat of the day. An Extreme Heat Watch means extreme heat is possible: find your nearest cooling centre if you have no air conditioning. An Extreme Heat Warning means extremely dangerous heat is expected or happening: avoid outdoor activity and stay in air conditioning as much as you can, including overnight. NWS HeatRisk, an experimental seven-day map built with CDC data, rates each day from 0 (little risk) to 4 (extreme).

• Babies and young children, older people, pregnant women and people with long-term conditions are most at risk. Check on neighbours without air conditioning
• Heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, cool clammy skin, a fast weak pulse, dizziness, nausea. Move somewhere cool, loosen clothing, sip water, and get medical help if it lasts over an hour or the person vomits
• Heat stroke: confusion, slurred speech, a temperature above 103°F (39.4°C), hot red skin. It is an emergency: call 911 and cool the person down. Don’t give them drinks
• Never leave a child, a disabled person or a pet in a car. The NWS says 31 children died in hot cars in the US in 2025. If you have a toddler, lock your car, even on your own drive

Hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November. The peak is around 10 September, and most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October. Miami is the calculator city most exposed, but anyone near the Atlantic or Gulf coasts should prepare. The biggest threat to life is storm surge: sea water pushed inland.

• Before 1 June, find out whether your address is in a Florida evacuation zone. Zone A is the most vulnerable and usually evacuates first; zone E last. If you are ordered to leave, leave
• A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are possible; it is issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected. A Hurricane Warning means they are expected; it is issued 36 hours ahead, and your preparations should be finished
• Put together an emergency kit, write a household plan, and check your home and contents insurance before the season. See renting a home for renters insurance

Wildfire smoke and storms

In California, the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning when critical fire weather is happening or about to: be extremely careful with anything that could start a fire. Smoke can travel a long way from the fire itself, so check the Air Quality Index (AQI) on AirNow’s Fire and Smoke Map: above 100 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, and above 150 is unhealthy for everyone.

• On smoky days, stay indoors with windows shut. A portable HEPA air cleaner in one room helps
• If you have to go out in heavy smoke, a well-fitted NIOSH-approved N95 mask filters smoke particles; dust masks and bandanas don’t
• Your phone receives Wireless Emergency Alerts automatically, with no sign-up, for tornado, flash flood, hurricane and other warnings. Don’t turn them off
• Tornadoes have been reported in all 50 states, at any time of year, though they are most common in the central plains and the south-east

Beaches, lakes and ticks

Swim at beaches with lifeguards, and check the local beach forecast first: rip currents often form on calm, sunny days. If one pulls you out, don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the shore, then back to land at an angle. NOAA estimates rip currents kill about 100 people in the US each year.

In the Northeast and the upper Midwest, including the countryside around New York, Boston, Washington and Chicago, ticks can carry Lyme disease. CDC advice: use an EPA-registered insect repellent, keep to the middle of trails, treat clothing with permethrin, shower soon after a walk, and check yourself and your children for ticks.

Summer camps

The school summer break lasts about 10 weeks, much longer than in the UK (see school calendars), and working parents often fill it with day camps. Start looking well ahead, as popular camps fill early. In New York City, Summer Rising is a free programme for children in grades K to 8 who live and go to school in the city; applications for 2027 open in early February 2027. The cost of a day camp you use so that you can work can count towards the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit; an overnight camp can’t. See childcare.

National parks and the America the Beautiful pass

An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance and standard day-use fees for a year at national parks and other federal sites, for one car or up to four adults. From 1 January 2026 there are two prices: $80 (about £61) for US citizens and residents, and $250 (about £189) for non-residents. To buy the resident pass you show a US passport, a US state driving licence or state ID, or a green card, so once you have a US licence or state ID you can buy the cheaper pass. Visitors from the UK pay the non-resident rate.

Since 2026, non-residents aged 16 and over also pay an extra $100 (about £76) per person at 11 popular parks, including Acadia, Everglades, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Zion, unless they enter with an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Free entrance days, such as Independence Day weekend, now apply only to US residents. If family visit from the UK, one pass held by someone in the car covers everyone in it. Fees change