4 Billion Years On

US Northeast Climate – June 2026 Update

Top States: New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland

This month in numbers

The US Northeast experienced a significantly warmer June, with a 1-month anomaly of +1.21°C compared to the 1961–1990 average. The 3-month anomaly stands at +1.23°C, while the 12-month rolling anomaly is +0.85°C. Globally, June 2026 was the 2nd warmest on record for combined land and ocean temperatures. The Northeast climate region ranked in the upper percentiles for above-normal cooling demand due to unusually high air temperatures.

Hottest & coolest US states

Rhode Island US Rhode Island was notably warm, recording a +2.25°C anomaly, making it among the warmest states relative to normal last month and seeing its warmest June on record for average maximum temperatures. Delaware US Delaware followed with +2.00°C, and Massachusetts US Massachusetts with +1.74°C. On the cooler side, Pennsylvania US Pennsylvania registered the lowest anomaly in the region at +0.79°C.

What's driving change?

The current strong El Niño phase is a significant factor, with the NOAA ONI 3-month anomaly (AMJ 2026) at +0.98°C, and a 100% probability of El Niño continuing through the end of 2026 ENSO. This El Niño typically brings warmer-than-average winters to the Northeast USA. Additionally, a much warmer western North Atlantic basin contributed to the East Coast's shift towards warmer temperatures. The region also experienced severe thunderstorms and damaging winds in June, with flash flooding reported in parts of New Jersey and New York. Philadelphia, for example, saw heavy rain and flooding on June 22nd. These events highlight the impact of seasonal shifts and the increased intensity of rainfall in a warming climate.

Looking ahead

The ongoing strong El Niño is expected to continue through the coming months, likely contributing to a milder-than-average winter for the US Northeast.

Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources

At a Glance

Temperature – Average

US Northeast
United States
Global
Land + Ocean
Jun
+1.2°C· 13th
19.0°C
+1.2°C· 13th
21.5°C
+1.0°C· 2nd
16.6°C
Record
20.1°C (2005)
22.5°C (2021)
16.7°C (2024)
Apr–Jun
+1.2°C· 10th
13.7°C
+1.3°C· 4th
16.9°C
+1.0°C· 2nd
15.8°C
Record
14.7°C (2010)
17.1°C (2012)
15.9°C (2024)
2025
+1.0°C· 19th
8.6°C
+1.5°C· 4th
12.6°C
+1.0°C· 3rd
15.0°C
Record
9.9°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.

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. 1.🇺🇸Rhode Island+2.25°C
  2. 2.🇺🇸Delaware+2.00°C
  3. 3.🇺🇸Massachusetts+1.74°C
  4. 4.🇺🇸New Jersey+1.72°C
  5. 5.🇺🇸Maryland+1.54°C

Coolest

  1. 1.🇺🇸Pennsylvania+0.79°C
  2. 2.🇺🇸New York+0.97°C
  3. 3.🇺🇸Vermont+1.26°C
  4. 4.🇺🇸Maine+1.34°C
  5. 5.🇺🇸Connecticut+1.43°C

Member States

Year-on-Year Trends

The 4byo Climate Helix – US Northeast

1950202619611990 baselineColdest (1978)20162025 meanWarmest (2024)2026 so far
2026Jun
2024
WinterSpringSummerAutumnJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1950-792016-25Spr Start−5 days1950-792016-25Aut End+6 days-10°-5°10°15°20°
Temp
5.4°C
-2.2 vs base
Rainfall
492mm
-585 vs base
ENSO
ONI 3-mo mean
Playback
8×
Mode
Metric
Presets

NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).

US Northeast – Monthly Temperature – All Years

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

NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).

Records – US Northeast

Warmest year
2024
9.9°C
Coldest year
1978
6.7°C
2026 so far
#21/77
5.4°C

NOAA Climate at a Glance - regional tavg / pcp - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean

Shifting Seasons

Warm / cold seasons

How 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 19501979); 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.

Shifting summer
10 days longer
Warm season
1950–1979 baseline: 20 Apr → 25 Oct · 188 days
2016–2025 now: 15 Apr → 31 Oct · 199 days
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spr 5 days earlierAut 6 days later
baseline yr·recent yr·ring = global temp anomaly

Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.0°C).

NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.

Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals

Rainfall / Precipitation
US Northeast
United States
Jun
-6 mm· 47th
93 mm
+9 mm· 24th
82 mm
Record
219 mm (1972)
97 mm (1989)
Apr–Jun
+3 mm· 35th
98 mm
+5 mm· 29th
75 mm
Record
139 mm (1972)
98 mm (1957)
2025
-60 mm· 60th
1018 mm
-27 mm· 55th
743 mm
Record
1439 mm (2011)
887 mm (1973)
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean · Small figure: the actual value · Record = highest (or lowest) value on record

Emissions & Energy

Explore

Explore Climate Data

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 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 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.