Tennessee ranks 14th in nation on heat risk index

Tennessee ranks 14th in the U.S. on the Heat Risk Index with a score of 34.2 out of 100, experiencing 51 annual days above 90°F and 22 heat-related deaths per year on average. The state's heat-related death rate of 1.56 per 100,000 residents exceeds the national median and is higher than in warmer states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, with factors like humidity, access to cooling, and health conditions contributing to risks.