US Northeast Climate – March 2026 Update
Top States: New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland
This month in numbers
The US Northeast experienced a significantly warm month, with a 1-month temperature anomaly of +2.55°C compared to the 1961–1990 average. The 3-month anomaly stands at +0.33°C, and the 12-month anomaly is +1.03°C. This latest monthly figure places the US Northeast as the 11th warmest region globally in the cross-region rankings.
Hottest & coolest US states
Within the US Northeast, Pennsylvania climate page was the warmest state this month, with an anomaly of +3.58°C. Close behind were Maryland climate page at +3.55°C and Delaware climate page at +3.06°C. The coolest state in the region was Maine climate page, though still experiencing warmer than average conditions at +1.38°C.
What's driving change?
The current ENSO state is Neutral, with an anomaly of +0.11°C for February-April 2026. The NOAA CPC forecast indicates that Neutral conditions are most likely through May, with an increasing probability of El Niño developing from May-July (61%) and continuing into late summer and early autumn (79% for June-August, 87% for July-September) ENSO tracker. This shift towards El Niño could influence future temperature patterns. The region has also experienced some significant weather events, including a damaging derecho across Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York in late April, producing near hurricane-force winds in Pittsburgh. Additionally, April 2026 was the warmest April on record for five major sites in the Northeast, with some southern and coastal areas experiencing intensifying drought conditions. These warmer conditions are consistent with the broader trend of , where winters are warming faster than summers at high latitudes.
Looking ahead
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center's outlook for the weeks ahead suggests a widespread tilt towards above-normal temperatures across much of the contiguous US, including the Northeast, influenced by anomalous ridging.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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.
Temperature – Average
US Northeast – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Each line represents one year of monthly temperature in °C.
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsHow spring and autumn have shifted in US Northeast. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (7.5°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 26.4°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.0°C).
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg.
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Member States (11)
Hottest & Coolest in US Northeast this Month
1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 11 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.
Warmest
- 1.🇺🇸Pennsylvania+3.73°C
- 2.🇺🇸Maryland+3.56°C
- 3.🇺🇸Delaware+3.01°C
- 4.🇺🇸New Jersey+2.69°C
- 5.🇺🇸New York+2.65°C
Coolest
- 1.🇺🇸Maine+1.05°C
- 2.🇺🇸Massachusetts+1.76°C
- 3.🇺🇸New Hampshire+1.84°C
- 4.🇺🇸Rhode Island+1.88°C
- 5.🇺🇸Vermont+1.98°C
Data Sources
- NOAA Climate at a Glance — Regional time series · NOAA code 101 · Open at NOAA
- Two-baseline model — comparison baseline 1961–1990; native baseline 1901–2000. Methodology →
Data Sources
Data Sources for US Northeast
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 US Northeast changing?
US Northeast 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 trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for US Northeast come from?
Climate data for US Northeast comes from authoritative climate datasets including national meteorological services and peer-reviewed reanalyses, 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 US Northeast climate data cover?
The US Northeast climate profile covers New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey and surrounding areas. NOAA Northeast climate region - CT, DE, ME, MA, MD, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
How often is the US Northeast climate update refreshed?
The US Northeast 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.