California Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, and San Jose
This month in numbers
California experienced its 12th warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 22.44°C, a significant +2°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The three-month period from April to June 2026 also ranked as the 9th warmest on record, with an average temperature of 17.85°C, marking a +1.6°C anomaly. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures on record, with an anomaly of +1°C, while the April–June period ranked as the 2nd warmest globally, with an anomaly of +1°C.
What changed
California's consistently warmer-than-average temperatures over the past three months align with a broader national trend, as the entire US has seen above-average temperatures since January. The state's 1-month anomaly of +1.97°C places it 67th warmest out of 234 regions globally, indicating a widespread warming pattern. The ongoing weak El Niño, with a current anomaly of +0.98°C, is a significant factor, and forecasts predict it will strengthen to a strong or very strong El Niño through the end of the year. This El Niño is expected to bring a higher chance of above-average rainfall to Southern California during the winter, potentially leading to flash floods and landslides.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in California is largely driven by the developing El Niño, which typically shifts the winter jet stream southward, influencing weather patterns across the region. This has contributed to a warmer June and a generally warmer spring, with California experiencing its second-warmest spring on record. The warmer temperatures and dry conditions have also elevated wildfire concerns. By mid-June, California had already recorded over 1,720 separate wildfires, scorching nearly 54,000 acres of land, with significant incidents like the Orange Fire in Sacramento County forcing evacuations. The state's snowpack was only 18% of average earlier in the year, further exacerbating and increasing fire risk.
Looking ahead
A strong El Niño is virtually certain to develop and persist through the end of the year, suggesting a higher likelihood of above-average rainfall for Southern California in the coming winter months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USA
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) or 1991–2020 (rainfall). See methodology.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – California
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
California – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – California
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Csa · TemperateCalifornia has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±9.2°C) and a wet/dry cycle (23× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Mar (+25 mm, +35%).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for California
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in California changing?
California is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for California come from?
Climate data for California comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the California climate data cover?
The California climate profile covers Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and surrounding areas. Solar leader, drought cycles and wildfire seasons
How often is the California climate update refreshed?
The California climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.