4 Billion Years On

Alabama Climate – June 2026 Update

Top 5 Cities: Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile, and Tuscaloosa

This month in numbers

Alabama experienced a significantly wetter June, with precipitation ranking as the 9th highest on record at 180.59 mm, an increase of 71.4 mm compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Average temperatures for June 2026 were 25.44°C, an anomaly of +0.7°C, placing it as the 31st warmest June in 77 years of records. Globally, June 2026 saw the 3rd warmest land temperature on record, with an anomaly of +1°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline.

What changed

Looking at the broader picture, the April–June 2026 period in Alabama recorded an average temperature of 22.07°C, an anomaly of +1.1°C, making it the 13th warmest such period on record. This trend aligns with the state's long-term warming, which shows an increase of +1.37°C against the 1961–1990 baseline. This past month, Alabama also saw a significant concentration of extreme weather events, with four wildfires and one flood event occurring, representing 100% of the annual total for each type of event. Catastrophic flash flooding inundated northern and central Alabama in June, particularly around the Birmingham metropolitan area, due to slow-moving thunderstorms.

What’s driving change?

The current climate patterns in Alabama are being influenced by a persistent weak El Niño, with a Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +0.98°C for April–June 2026. This El Niño is expected to continue and strengthen through the rest of the year. Historically, El Niño summers in Alabama tend to be hotter than normal. The increased precipitation observed in June, which ranked 9th highest on record, is also consistent with some El Niño influences, although the predictability of ENSO in summer for Alabama is generally low. The recent cluster of wildfires and floods also highlights the impact of seasonal shifts and the potential for more extreme weather events. You can track these events and the evolving ENSO situation at Extreme Weather tracker and ENSO.

Looking ahead

The NOAA CPC forecast indicates a 100% probability of El Niño continuing through October–December 2026, suggesting a continued influence on Alabama's weather patterns in the coming months.

Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources

At a Glance

Temperature – Average

Alabama
United States
Global
Land + Ocean
Jun
+0.7°C· 31st
25.4°C
+1.2°C· 13th
21.5°C
+1.0°C· 2nd
16.6°C
Record
27.8°C (1952)
22.5°C (2021)
16.7°C (2024)
Apr–Jun
+1.1°C· 13th
22.1°C
+1.3°C· 4th
16.9°C
+1.0°C· 2nd
15.8°C
Record
22.7°C (2010)
17.1°C (2012)
15.9°C (2024)
2025
+1.2°C· 11th
18.1°C
+1.5°C· 4th
12.6°C
+1.0°C· 3rd
15.0°C
Record
18.6°C (2024)
13.1°C (2024)
15.2°C (2024)
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean · Small figure: the actual value · Record = highest (or lowest) value on record

Climate Map – USA

Window

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 – Alabama

1950202619611990 baselineColdest (1976)20162025 meanWarmest (2024)2026 so far
2026Jun
2024
WinterSpringSummerAutumnJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1950-792016-25Spr Start−4 days1950-792016-25Aut End+9 days10°15°20°25°30°
Temp
16.8°C
-0.0 vs base
Rainfall
756mm
-686 vs base
ENSO
ONI 3-mo mean
Playback
8×
Mode
Metric
Presets

Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.

Alabama – Monthly Temperature – All Years

Metric
All years since 19872024 (warmest)2026 (current year)

Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.

Records – Alabama

Warmest year
2024
18.6°C
Coldest year
1976
15.9°C
2026 so far
#5/77
16.8°C

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean

Shifting Seasons

Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfa · Temperate

How spring and autumn have shifted in Alabama. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (17.0°C, from 19501979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 19.6°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.

Shifting summer
12 days longer
Warm season
1950–1979 baseline: 14 Apr → 18 Oct · 187 days
2016–2025 now: 10 Apr → 27 Oct · 199 days
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spr 3 days earlierAut 9 days later
baseline yr·recent yr·ring = global temp anomaly

Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.1°C).

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

Rainfall / Precipitation
Alabama
United States
Jun
+71 mm· 9th
181 mm
+9 mm· 24th
82 mm
Record
278 mm (1989)
97 mm (1989)
Apr–Jun
+40 mm· 11th
156 mm
+5 mm· 29th
75 mm
Record
195 mm (2003)
98 mm (1957)
2025
-127 mm· 51st
1316 mm
-27 mm· 55th
743 mm
Record
1899 mm (1975)
887 mm (1973)
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean · Small figure: the actual value · Record = highest (or lowest) value on record

Climate Systems

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Emissions & Energy

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Data Sources

Data Sources for Alabama

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 Alabama changing?

Alabama 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 Alabama come from?

Climate data for Alabama 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 Alabama climate data cover?

The Alabama climate profile covers Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile and surrounding areas. Alabama climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance

How often is the Alabama climate update refreshed?

The Alabama 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.