CalHeatScore
About the Tool
The California Communities Extreme Heat Scoring System (CalHeatScore) is designed to help Californians stay healthy when temperatures rise by:
Forecasting upcoming heat waves
Helping people prepare and plan for extreme heat events
Providing information about local resources
CalHeatScore uses historical climate, forecasted weather, and health data to score heat events based on their intensity and potential health impacts. Every day, CalHeatScore creates an easy-to-understand scale of 0 to 4 for all ZIP codes in California to communicate heat risks. CalHeatScore also connects people to locally relevant resources, such as cooling centers, so that they can be prepared when dangerous heat occurs.
About the Cohorts
We are seeking feedback on the first version of the CalHeatScore Tool. Working with community experts who can provide local knowledge and recommendations will improve the CalHeatScore Tool and enable its use within communities most vulnerable to heat. Cohort participants will give specific feedback on the tool’s ability to help raise awareness, educate the public about the risks of extreme heat, and build strong local connections.
Starting in July 2025, we’re convening a Cohort-based Consultation focused on three groups who may be highly vulnerable to heat illness:
Outdoor & Warehouse Workers
Older Adults
California Native Tribes
Cohort participants will:
Attend at least two virtual meetings to guide the development of this tool through storytelling, dialogue, and constructive feedback
Commit at least five hours of effort to this project
Share their understanding of their community to help us see how CalHeatScore will be useful to them and protect them from heat illness
Respond to at least one short survey about extreme heat illness in your community
Be eligible to receive compensation for contributions to the project
Schedule
Register for Upcoming Meetings:
July 16
Informational Meeting | 11 AM
July 24
Informational Webinar | 12 PM
June 12
Informational Webinar
12:00 PM
Past Meetings:
Password: 5K7y4$uv
Save the Date:
Worker Cohort Meeting #1 - 11 AM
July 22
Older Adults Cohort Meeting #1 - 12 PM
User Cohort Meeting #2 - Details TBD | 11 AM
August 13
User Cohort Meeting #2 - Details TBD | 12 PM
Nominate a Participant
Ideal Cohort participants are community leaders that work with one of the three cohort groups:
Outdoor & Warehouse Workers
Older Adults
California Native Tribes
Contact Us
Have questions about the cohort consultation process?
Project Funder and Partners
LARC is working with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) to create a space for community experts to share ideas on how CalHeatScore can be improved and be integrated into existing extreme heat and public health practices.
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation is developing a heat warning system guide, which will incorporate findings from the user cohorts. This guide will serve as the basis for a training for potential future users.
