The highest temperature ever recorded in Tennessee was 113°F on July 29 and August 9, 1930, both in Perryville. The National Weather Service reports that this is still the state’s official all-time high.
On June 29, 2012, Nashville set a record high temperature of 109°F.
During the 2012 North American heat wave, Knoxville, Memphis, and Chattanooga had record-breaking temperatures of 105 °F, 108 °F, and 107 °F, respectively.
These historical peaks show how severe summer heat may travel well into Tennessee.
Other major cities are:
- Memphis: recorded 108 °F on July 13, 1980, part of the severe 1980 United States heat wave
- Knoxville: peaked at 105 °F on June 30 and July 1, 2012.
While these records predominantly originate from the early twentieth century and mid-1980s to the early 2010s, they continue to affect our understanding of Tennessee’s sensitivity to high heat events, which pose considerable hazards to public health, infrastructure, and ecosystems.