Heat stress in Detroit
Humid summers bring recurring heat waves where dew points spike heat stress sharply.
Heat stress is low right now: normal outdoor activity is fine.
Wet-bulb globe temperature via the Liljegren (2008) method. This page is cached and refreshes in the background, so the live badge below can be a few minutes ahead of it.
View Detroit on the live mapReading heat stress in Detroit
Wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is the heat measure that actually tracks danger to the body. Unlike the plain air temperature on your phone, it folds in humidity, wind, and direct sun: the factors that decide whether your sweat can still cool you. It’s the standard the military, athletic associations, and occupational-safety bodies use to call when outdoor activity is no longer safe.
That matters in Detroit because humid summers bring recurring heat waves where dew points spike heat stress sharply. The number above is the live outdoor WBGT for the city right now; tap through to the live map to inspect any neighborhood, scrub the forecast hour by hour, and see the 7-day outlook.
How hot Detroit usually gets
Across 2015–2024, Detroit averaged a 80°F daily high in summer: 150th hottest of the 174 metros we track, and July is typically the warmest month.
Heat arrives in bursts here rather than settling in, with only about 4 days a year at or above 90°F.
Humidity is the real story: summer averages about 70%, so sweat evaporates poorly and heat stress runs well above what a 80°F afternoon suggests.
A bad day runs well past a normal one, with 95°F recorded against a 80°F summer average.
Daily high temperatures and humidity from ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024 (hottest day in the sample: 2022-06-21). These are climate averages for context: the reading at the top of this page is the live one.
For school sports, MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) publishes MHSAA Model Policy for Managing Heat & Humidity (adopted March 22, 2013). That document sets no WBGT limits, so no Michigan activity zones appear beside the live reading. The heat-stress guidance on this page applies to anyone outdoors. Our Michigan heat policy page has the details, the source and the date we last checked it.
Heat in Detroit: common questions
How hot does it usually get in Detroit?
Across 2015–2024, Detroit averaged a 80°F daily high through summer, with about 4 days a year at or above 90°F. July is typically the hottest month, and the hottest day in that sample reached 95°F. Figures are from ERA5 daily reanalysis.
When is the hottest time of year in Detroit?
July has the highest average daily high in Detroit. Humidity is the real story here: summer averages about 70%, so sweat evaporates poorly and heat stress runs well above what the temperature alone suggests. Use the forecast on this page to plan around the specific days that matter.
Does Michigan have a heat policy for school sports?
MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) publishes MHSAA Model Policy for Managing Heat & Humidity (adopted March 22, 2013). That document sets no WBGT limits, so no Michigan activity zones appear beside the live reading. The heat-stress guidance on this page applies to anyone outdoors. Our WBGT is a modeled estimate rather than an on-site measurement, so check the association's own document for current requirements.
What is the WBGT in Detroit right now?
The reading at the top of this page is the current wet-bulb globe temperature for Detroit, Michigan, computed from live weather by the Liljegren (2008) method and labeled with how recently it updated. For an exact reading at your own neighborhood, plus an hour-by-hour forecast, open the live map.
Why is WBGT more useful than the temperature for Detroit?
Air temperature ignores humidity, wind, and sun: the things that decide whether heat is dangerous. Detroit's climate (humid summers bring recurring heat waves where dew points spike heat stress sharply.) is exactly why a single "feels-like" or thermometer reading can understate the real risk. WBGT captures all of it in one number.
When is heat most dangerous in Detroit?
July is the peak month in Detroit, and within a day heat stress is highest in the early-to-mid afternoon when sun load is greatest. Dangerous days are uncommon here, which is its own hazard: 4 days a year reach 90°F, and people are least acclimatized when they arrive. Use the forecast on this page to find the window that works.
Put Detroit’s live heat stress on your site
A self-updating WBGT badge for schools, teams, camps, and local sites: it always shows the current reading and links back here.
<iframe src="https://wetbulbtracker.com/embed/detroit-mi" width="340" height="150" style="border:0" title="Live WBGT: Detroit, MI" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste it into any website. The badge updates itself and links back here. Add ?theme=light for light sites.