Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)

Latest answer — September 01, 2026

51 Across

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Clue explained

HEAT LIGHTNING is the atmospheric glow associated with distant thunderstorms on hot, muggy afternoons. The grid combines the phrase’s two words, while the NBA/NHL parenthetical also points to the Heat and Lightning team names.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
Distant lightning illuminating the horizon on a hot summer evening

WSJ Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 01, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Falling-out
  2. 5Dam that created Lake Nasser
  3. 10“Hard as a Rock” band
  4. 14Its app has a “Where to?” field
  5. 15How many play Wordle
  6. 16Lively quality
  7. 17Quail collective
  8. 18Basis of many skateboarding tricks
  9. 19Sweat unit
  10. 20Cherry castoffs
  11. 22TSA checkpoint needs
  12. 23“Holy moly!”
  13. 24Early Ford competitor
  14. 25Blockchain-based collectible, for short
  15. 26Letters after a comma
  16. 27Retained
  17. 29Least willing to share information
  18. 32Makeshift shelter
  19. 35Makes an oopsy
  20. 37“I really didn’t say everything I said” speaker
  21. 38Is worse for wear
  22. 39Obedience school command
  23. 40Seize forcibly
  24. 41Waithe of “Ready Player One”
  25. 42Old Testament book before Jeremiah
  26. 44Where some jokes are taken
  27. 46Coddlers of toddlers
  28. 48Kicks out of office
  29. 49Publicist’s piece
  30. 51Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)
  31. 57Pacific island kingdom
  32. 58Chum
  33. 59Shop collection
  34. 61Market measure
  35. 62Forest’s role in “The Last King of Scotland”
  36. 63Bothered a lot
  37. 64Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner
  38. 65Org. with a “No Such Podcast”
  39. 66Like pleasant fall weather

Down

  1. 1Barbecue seasonings
  2. 2Skeptical response
  3. 3Intensely surreal experience (WNBA/WNBA)
  4. 4“You wouldn’t dare!” response
  5. 5Big commotion
  6. 6Caulfield’s creator
  7. 7What viral videos spread like (NHL/WNBA)
  8. 8Top-tier celebrities
  9. 9“Science Guy” Bill
  10. 10Brothers’ keeper?
  11. 11Leaders in the pits (MLS/NFL)
  12. 12Cameron of “Charlie’s Angels”
  13. 13Concluding passage
  14. 21Org.’s kin
  15. 23Still
  16. 27Common pronoun pairing
  17. 28“Am not!” retort
  18. 30Core-strengthening device
  19. 31High schooler’s exam (that’s not redundant, since its letters no longer stand for anything)
  20. 33Radii neighbors
  21. 34Bygone emperors
  22. 36Narrow
  23. 38___ masala (potato dish)
  24. 43Puddle jumper
  25. 45It hasn’t been squared
  26. 47Arrive unnoticed
  27. 48National flower of Mexico
  28. 50“Jeepers!”
  29. 51Perfect
  30. 52Wraps up
  31. 53A long time
  32. 54Really small amount
  33. 55Père ___ (Santa’s French counterpart)
  34. 56Flashy rock genre
  35. 57Minnesota governor Walz
  36. 60Unkempt digs

The answer to “Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)” in the Wall Street Journal crossword is HEATLIGHTNING — a 13-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal crossword on September 1, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 51-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)” answer

HEATLIGHTNING (13 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is HEATLIGHTNING.

When else has “Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)” appeared?

Wall Street Journal reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

September 1, 2026 (most recent) → HEATLIGHTNING. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)”?

The answer is HEATLIGHTNING, a 13-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal crossword on September 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)”?

13 letters: HEATLIGHTNING.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Wall Street Journal crossword on September 1, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 51-Across.

Can “Weather phenomenon on a muggy afternoon (NBA/NHL)” have a different answer?

Yes — Wall Street Journal sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's WSJ answers?

The full grid for September 1, 2026 is on the WSJ answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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