New Hampshire Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Dover, and Rochester
Summary
New Hampshire experienced moderate summer heat during July, registering an average temperature 0.9°C above historical baselines while global land temperatures reached their 3rd highest level on record. All of New Hampshire's 3 wildfires this year have happened in the past month as localized dry spells took hold. Globally, the warmth aligns with a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in Sep-Nov, with above-average temperatures expected to linger across the region over the coming months.
This month in numbers
July delivered an average temperature of 20.17°C, running 0.9°C warmer than the 1961–1990 baseline to rank as the 25th warmest month of its name on record. Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 26.83°C, also placing 25th highest. Precipitation dropped to 77.98 mm, which was 19.6 mm below baseline and made for a relatively dry month, ranking 58th wettest in 77 years of data. On the broader stage, global land temperatures reached 15.8°C, marking the 3rd warmest July in 87 years of global recordkeeping.
What changed
Looking across the three-month May–July period, New Hampshire averaged 16.59°C, which was 0.8°C above normal and the 21st warmest such period on record, accompanied by 349.76 mm of rainfall that ranked 19th wettest. Globally, the May–July land temperature averaged 14.34°C (+1.5°C anomaly), standing as the 2nd warmest such period on record. Across the NOAA Northeast climate region, where details can be tracked at US Northeast, the state ran 0.15°C cooler than the regional group average anomaly of +1.05°C, while Delaware led the region at +1.84°C above baseline.
What’s driving change?
Recent regional weather patterns have been shaped by broader atmospheric dynamics, including that periodically trap pockets of dry summer air over New England. As , terrestrial heat build-up exacerbates short-term moisture deficits. All of New Hampshire's 3 wildfires this year have happened in the past month following local dry spells. The state's active wildfire cluster is monitored on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker. On a global scale, climate patterns are influenced by ENSO, where a moderate El Niño is currently active and intensifying at ENSO. While historical teleconnections for New England show a modest, inconsistent tendency toward milder winter conditions during El Niño phases, local outcomes remain heavily dependent on northern air mass movements.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate a high likelihood that above-average temperatures will persist across the Northeast over the next 1-3 months into autumn, as El Niño is projected with 93% probability to reach Very Strong intensity.
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 – New Hampshire
Köppen Dfb · ContinentalNew Hampshire has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 20.7°C, while January is the coldest at -5.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1186mm, 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 – New Hampshire
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 – New Hampshire
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 – New Hampshire
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – New Hampshire
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 – New Hampshire
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in New Hampshire. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (5.8°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 27.4°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+2.9°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 New Hampshire
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 New Hampshire changing?
New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 20.7°C, while January is the coldest at -5.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1186mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for New Hampshire come from?
Climate data for New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire climate data cover?
The New Hampshire climate profile covers Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Dover and surrounding areas. New Hampshire climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the New Hampshire climate update refreshed?
The New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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.