The fastest-growing U.S. cities are roasting in extreme heat

The fastest growing cities are roasting in extreme heat. The issue isn’t just about how hot it is now — but how much hotter it’s going to get and for how long each year. Climate Alpha meets with Axios to discuss what the popular Sunbelt can expect as temperatures continue to rise.

The millions of Americans who migrated to the Sunbelt over the past decade are now stuck in the middle of this summer's brutal and record-breaking heat wave.

Why it matters: The country's fastest-growing region is enduring some of the highest temperatures in the U.S., threatening the health of some of America's most vulnerable people and billions in economic activity.

What's happening: America's population — attracted by lower taxes, bigger homes and lower cost of living for retirees — is moving to more vulnerable locations, where the effects of climate change present huge risks.

Between the lines: The issue isn't just about how hot it is now — but about how much hotter it's going to get and for how long each year, said Parag Khanna, chief executive of Climate Alpha, a startup that uses AI to measure climate resilience.

• Heat isn't the only climate risk states are facing. Florida, for example, is more vulnerable to hurricanes than temperature risks and heat waves.

Threat level: With more severe and frequent extreme weather events, a climate housing bubble threatens to erode real estate prices in much of the U.S. in the coming years, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.

• Khanna notes there are still climate-resilient options in the Sunbelt, including Raleigh, Charlotte and Dallas.

Go deeper: Climate change boosted July's heat for 81% of world's population, study says