Oregon Climate
Top 5 Cities: Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham, and Hillsboro
This month in numbers
Oregon experienced its 13th warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 8.11°C, which is 1.8°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The maximum temperature for April also ranked high, coming in at 18th warmest at 14.78°C, a 2.2°C anomaly. Looking at the broader picture, the February–April 2026 period was the 4th warmest on record for average temperature, at 6.56°C (a 2.6°C anomaly), and the 3rd warmest for maximum temperature, at 12.48°C (a 3.1°C anomaly). Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with the February–April period also ranking as the 2nd warmest.
What changed
Oregon's consistently warm temperatures over the past three months stand in stark contrast to its historical averages, with both average and maximum temperatures ranking among the top 5 warmest on record for the February–April period. This trend aligns with a broader pattern across the United States, as 9 of the top 10 warmest regions for the 3-month anomaly were US states. The state's 12-month rolling average temperature of +2.37°C above the 1961–1990 baseline places it 36th warmest globally, indicating a significant long-term warming trend. Oregon's winter of 2025-2026 tied with 1934 as the warmest on record, contributing to a record low snowpack.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Oregon is largely driven by , with winters warming faster than summers at high latitudes, and an early arrival of spring. The current Neutral ENSO state is forecast to transition to an El Niño phase, with an 82% probability for May–July 2026, increasing to 98% by August–October. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest during winter, leading to lower mountain snowpack and increased summer wildfire risk. This year, Oregon has already seen an unusually early start to its wildfire season, with 4 wildfire events recorded in May alone, representing 100% of the past 12 months' total. Additionally, 82% of Oregon is currently experiencing some form of drought, with 31% in severe to extreme drought, and 12 counties have received state drought declarations. This widespread drought, coupled with record-low snowpack, is intensifying concerns about water availability and wildfire risk. More information on extreme weather events can be found at Extreme Weather tracker, and details on ENSO at ENSO tracker.
Looking ahead
Forecasters predict a hotter-than-average and drier summer for Oregon, with a high likelihood of above-normal temperatures for June, July, and August.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Oregon
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 Oregon changing?
Oregon 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 Oregon come from?
Climate data for Oregon comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), 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 Oregon climate data cover?
The Oregon climate profile covers Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham and surrounding areas. Oregon climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Oregon climate update refreshed?
The Oregon 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.