List of heat waves
1950s–Extended severe drought and heat happened in the 1950s in the central and Southern United States. Every year between 1952 and 1957 had major heat waves in North America. In many areas it was drier than during the Dust Bowl years. The heat was especially severe in 1954; twenty-two days of temperatures  and higher covered eleven U.S. states. At East St. Louis, Illinois on July 14, the temperature hit . This was the record highest temperature in Illinois.