Maryland Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Baltimore, Columbia, Germantown, Silver Spring, and Waldorf
Summary
Maryland experienced a severely hot and wet month, registering its 15th warmest July on record alongside unusually high precipitation. A relentless mid-summer heatwave led state officials to declare an official State of Preparedness as dangerously high humidity and soaring nighttime temperatures swept across the region. The extreme conditions pushed Potomac River temperatures to historic highs, triggering localized fish kills, while health authorities recorded rising heat-related casualties. Globally, land temperatures reached the 3rd highest level ever recorded for the month, with elevated heat expected to persist into autumn.
This month in numbers
In July 2026, Maryland recorded an average temperature of 25.56°C, sitting 1.7°C above the 1961-1990 baseline to rank 15th highest in 77 years of records. Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 31.11°C, running 1.4°C above normal to rank 20th. Precipitation totalled 133.1 mm, which is 34.2 mm above average and represents the 20th wettest July on record. Globally, land temperatures for the month reached 15.8°C, standing 1.6°C above baseline as the 3rd warmest July in 87 years of global data.
What changed
Looking at the broader three-month picture from May to July 2026, Maryland maintained an average temperature of 21.87°C, which is 1.2°C above the historical baseline and ranks as the 14th warmest May to July period on record. Meanwhile, total seasonal precipitation reached 292.1 mm, remaining virtually unchanged from historical norms at 5 mm below average. Across the NOAA Northeast US climate region, available at US Northeast, Maryland was the 2nd warmest state relative to baseline this month, exceeding its regional group average by 0.63°C. Globally, the May to July land temperature average reached 14.34°C, which is 1.5°C above baseline and ranks as the 2nd warmest May to July period in 87 years of tracking.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth across Maryland was primarily propelled by atmospheric that trapped hot, humid air over the eastern United States, reinforced by the effect in densely populated corridors like Baltimore. The region also saw localized weather impacts. All of Maryland's 1 flood this year has happened in the past month, with live tracking accessible at Extreme Weather tracker. Additionally, all of Maryland's 2 wildfires this year have happened in the past month. On a broader scale, long-term climate trends show that waters, amplifying heat build-up across inland communities.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center indicate that above-normal temperatures and unsettled weather are likely to persist across the Mid-Atlantic region through late summer and into early autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Maryland
Köppen Cfa · TemperateMaryland has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.7°C, while January is the coldest at 1.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1129mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Maryland
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – Maryland
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Maryland
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – Maryland
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – Maryland
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfa · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Maryland. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (12.0°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 23.8°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.1°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Maryland
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.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Maryland changing?
Maryland 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.
What is the climate like in Maryland?
Maryland has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.7°C, while January is the coldest at 1.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1129mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Maryland come from?
Climate data for Maryland 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 Maryland climate data cover?
The Maryland climate profile covers Baltimore, Columbia, Germantown, Silver Spring and surrounding areas. Maryland climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Maryland climate update refreshed?
The Maryland 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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Maryland climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Maryland climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.