US Ohio Valley Climate – March 2026 Update
Top States: Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, and Tennessee
This month in numbers
The US Ohio Valley region experienced a significantly warm month, with a 1-month temperature anomaly of +4.77°C above the 1961–1990 average. The 3-month anomaly stands at +4.08°C, and the 12-month figure is +2.67°C. This places the US Ohio Valley as the 11th warmest region globally for the latest month, indicating a widespread pattern of elevated temperatures across the United States.
Hottest & coolest US states
Within the Ohio Valley, Tennessee climate page was the warmest state this month, recording a striking +5.17°C anomaly. Close behind were Missouri climate page at +5.13°C and Kentucky climate page at +5.11°C, both experiencing unusually high temperatures. Ohio climate page, while still significantly warmer than average, was comparatively the "coolest" in the group with an anomaly of +4.36°C.
What's driving change?
The current ENSO state is Neutral, with an anomaly of +0.11°C vs 1991–2020, though the NOAA CPC forecast indicates a 61% chance of El Niño developing by May-Jul and persisting through the summer ENSO tracker. This transition could influence future weather patterns. The region has also seen significant severe weather events recently. In late March and early April 2026, severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes and damaging winds, impacted parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, bringing heavy rainfall and localised flooding, which helped to alleviate some ongoing drought conditions in northwest Ohio. Ohio, in particular, has experienced an early and active severe weather season in 2026, with unseasonably high temperatures and persistent moisture contributing to atmospheric instability. These events highlight the influence of and natural variability on regional weather.
Looking ahead
The Climate Prediction Center's outlook for May favours below-normal temperatures across the Ohio Valley, with equal chances for below, above, or near-normal precipitation.
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 Ohio Valley – 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 Ohio Valley. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (11.7°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 25.9°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Mar (+2.5°C).
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg.
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Member States (7)
Hottest & Coolest in US Ohio Valley this Month
1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 7 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.
Data Sources
- NOAA Climate at a Glance — Regional time series · NOAA code 103 · Open at NOAA
- Two-baseline model — comparison baseline 1961–1990; native baseline 1901–2000. Methodology →
Data Sources
Data Sources for US Ohio Valley
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 Ohio Valley changing?
US Ohio Valley 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 Ohio Valley come from?
Climate data for US Ohio Valley 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 Ohio Valley climate data cover?
The US Ohio Valley climate profile covers Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and surrounding areas. NOAA Ohio Valley - IL, IN, KY, MO, OH, TN, WV
How often is the US Ohio Valley climate update refreshed?
The US Ohio Valley 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.