US Northern Rockies & Plains Climate – March 2026 Update
Top States: Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming
This month in numbers
The US Northern Rockies & Plains region experienced a significantly warm month, with a 1-month temperature anomaly of +4.81°C above the 1961–1990 average. The 3-month anomaly stands at +4.95°C, and the 12-month anomaly is +2.90°C. This makes the region one of the warmest globally, as all of the top 10 warmest 1-month anomalies across all tracked regions were US states, with Wyoming and Nebraska from this group ranking 7th and 9th respectively.
Hottest & coolest US states
Wyoming climate page was exceptionally warm this month, recording a striking anomaly of +6.69°C. Nebraska climate page and South Dakota climate page also experienced unusually high temperatures, with anomalies of +5.87°C and +4.84°C respectively. While the region as a whole was warm, Alaska climate page stood out as the coolest US state, with a 1-month anomaly of -5.93°C.
What's driving change?
The current ENSO state is Neutral, with an anomaly of +0.11°C vs 1991–2020, though El Niño is expected to emerge during May, June, and July, with a 61% chance for MJJ 2026. ENSO tracker. This transition could influence upcoming weather patterns. In early May, a late-season snowstorm brought significant snowfall to parts of the Rocky Mountains, including areas of Colorado and southeastern Wyoming, offering some relief after a dry April. However, the broader trend for the western mountains, including the Northern Rockies, is for warmer and drier-than-normal conditions in May, which could accelerate snowpack melt and increase wildfire risk. This aligns with the long-term trend of , where winters are warming faster at high latitudes.
Looking ahead
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center's May-Jun-Jul 2026 outlook favours above-normal seasonal mean temperatures for much of the contiguous U.S., with the highest probabilities concentrated in the northern and central Great Basin and Rockies.
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 Northern Rockies & Plains – 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 Northern Rockies & Plains. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (5.7°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 30.0°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jan (+3.3°C).
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg.
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Member States (5)
Hottest & Coolest in US Northern Rockies & Plains this Month
1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 5 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.
Warmest
- 1.🇺🇸Nebraska+1.30°C
- 2.🇺🇸Wyoming+1.10°C
- 3.🇺🇸Montana+0.31°C
- 4.🇺🇸South Dakota-0.43°C
- 5.🇺🇸North Dakota-1.22°C
Coolest
- 1.🇺🇸North Dakota-1.22°C
- 2.🇺🇸South Dakota-0.43°C
- 3.🇺🇸Montana+0.31°C
- 4.🇺🇸Wyoming+1.10°C
- 5.🇺🇸Nebraska+1.30°C
Data Sources
- NOAA Climate at a Glance — Regional time series · NOAA code 105 · Open at NOAA
- Two-baseline model — comparison baseline 1961–1990; native baseline 1901–2000. Methodology →
Data Sources
Data Sources for US Northern Rockies & Plains
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 Northern Rockies & Plains changing?
US Northern Rockies & Plains 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 Northern Rockies & Plains come from?
Climate data for US Northern Rockies & Plains 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 Northern Rockies & Plains climate data cover?
The US Northern Rockies & Plains climate profile covers Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and surrounding areas. NOAA Northern Rockies and Plains - MT, NE, ND, SD, WY
How often is the US Northern Rockies & Plains climate update refreshed?
The US Northern Rockies & Plains 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.