US Northwest Climate – June 2026 Update
Top States: Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
This month in numbers
The US Northwest experienced a significantly warm June 2026, with a 1-month anomaly of +0.86°C compared to the 1961–1990 average. The warming trend is even more pronounced over longer periods, with a 3-month anomaly of +1.61°C and a 12-month rolling anomaly of +2.41°C. While notably warm, the US Northwest did not feature in the top 10 warmest regions globally for the past month, which was dominated by European countries.
Hottest & coolest US states
Within the US Northwest, Oregon US Oregon was the warmest state in June, recording an anomaly of +1.19°C. Washington US Washington followed closely with +1.11°C. Idaho US Idaho also experienced above-average temperatures, with an anomaly of +0.33°C. There were no strikingly cool states within the US Northwest region this month.
What's driving change?
The current climate pattern in the US Northwest is strongly influenced by El Niño, which is currently in a weak phase with an anomaly of +0.98°C for AMJ 2026. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center declared El Niño had developed in early June 2026 and is expected to strengthen, with a 100% probability of El Niño continuing through the end of the year. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest during winter, which can lead to lower mountain snowpack and increased summer wildfire risk. Indeed, the region experienced a heat dome in mid-June, leading to record-breaking temperatures in cities like Seattle and Portland, and exacerbating drought conditions and wildfire risk. This aligns with the warming driver of , where already dry soils intensify heatwaves.
Looking ahead
The ongoing El Niño is expected to strengthen into a very strong event by late autumn or early winter 2026-2027, which could lead to warmer and drier conditions for the US Northwest, potentially impacting snowpack in spring 2027.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
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.
Hottest & Coolest in US Northwest this Month
1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 3 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.
Warmest
- 1.🇺🇸Oregon+1.19°C
- 2.🇺🇸Washington+1.11°C
- 3.🇺🇸Idaho+0.33°C
Coolest
- 1.🇺🇸Idaho+0.33°C
- 2.🇺🇸Washington+1.11°C
- 3.🇺🇸Oregon+1.19°C
Member States
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – US Northwest
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).
US Northwest – Monthly Temperature – All Years
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).
Records – US Northwest
NOAA Climate at a Glance - regional tavg / pcp - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsHow spring and autumn have shifted in US Northwest. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (7.3°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 21.0°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Aug (+1.9°C).
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for US Northwest
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 Northwest changing?
US Northwest 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 Northwest come from?
Climate data for US Northwest 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 Northwest climate data cover?
The US Northwest climate profile covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho and surrounding areas. NOAA Northwest - ID, OR, WA
How often is the US Northwest climate update refreshed?
The US Northwest 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.