Louisiana Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, and Lake Charles
This month in numbers
Louisiana experienced its 11th warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 27.56°C, an anomaly of +1.3°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The April–June 2026 period also ranked as the 8th warmest on record for average temperature, at 24.02°C, an anomaly of +1.2°C. Precipitation in June was significantly above average, with 181.61 mm, an anomaly of +62.2 mm, making it the 12th wettest June on record. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures, and the April–June period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record for global land temperatures.
What changed
Louisiana's recent warmth aligns with a broader trend across the Southern US, though its 1-month anomaly of +1.29°C was slightly cooler than the group average of +1.33°C. The state has seen a long-term warming trend of +1.36°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The significant rainfall in May and June provided some relief from drought conditions in southern Louisiana, though northern parts of the state continued to experience dryness.
What’s driving change?
The current weak El Niño phase, with a Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +0.98°C for April–June 2026, is a significant driver. El Niño typically brings stormier, wetter, and slightly cooler conditions to the Southern US during winter, but its summer influence can be more complex. The heavy rainfall in June, including over 20 inches in parts of Louisiana due to Tropical Storm Arthur, has led to widespread flash flooding and water rescues, particularly in Avoyelles Parish. This unusual concentration of rainfall contrasts with ongoing drought conditions in other parts of the state, and Louisiana has seen an unusual concentration of wildfire and drought events over the past 12 months, with 100% of the annual total for both occurring recently. More information on extreme weather can be found at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
The NOAA CPC forecast indicates that El Niño is expected to persist and strengthen through the remainder of 2026, suggesting continued potential for altered precipitation and temperature patterns in the coming 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 – Louisiana
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Louisiana – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Louisiana
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfa · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Louisiana. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (18.9°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 18.4°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Mar (+2.4°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
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Louisiana
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 Louisiana changing?
Louisiana 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 Louisiana come from?
Climate data for Louisiana 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 Louisiana climate data cover?
The Louisiana climate profile covers New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette and surrounding areas. Louisiana climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Louisiana climate update refreshed?
The Louisiana 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.