Record breaking heat hits the Queen City area

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queen City is heating up with record breaking temperatures. It’s a warm welcome for new Charlotte residents.

“I’m from Wisconsin, so it’s kind of opposite climates here. Definitely the summer is definitely humid and hot, but thankfully they got a lot of shaded parks here,” Ben Curtis, Charlotte Resident said.

Kids and adults were beating the heat at Nevins Park Tuesday afternoon. The splash park is a much needed relief in the inferno.

“My son turns like a tomato after 20 minutes outside, so definitely shows it,” Curtis said.

Some people notice it feels hotter this summer than in years past.

“Last time summer it was 2025. and it wasn’t that hot, but in 2026 it is hot now,” Daniel Clyburn, Charlotte Resident said.

As the heat rises so do the dangers. Gastonia Police demonstrated by putting a thermometer in a hot car for 20 minutes. Temperatures inside exceeded 120 degrees even with windows cracked.

“If you’re gone for a minute, a second, these things can pretty much turn deadly in a matter of seconds,” Officer Frederick Sibby with Gastonia Police said.

Just a few days into the summer and we’re already seeing triple digit heat index. Some parents are getting creative to keep the family cool.

“We try to find a lot of kind of tree ridden trails that would stay in the shade a little bit and then try to go to indoor parks and things like that,” Curtis said.

Ramsey Creek Beach is typically a hot spot for people to cool down in the heat, it is closed because of ongoing drought conditions. There are still a handful of splash parks operating across the area.