Oregon Climate
Top 5 Cities: Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham, and Hillsboro
This month in numbers
March 2026 was exceptionally warm in Oregon, ranking as the 1st warmest March in 77 years of records, with an average temperature of 7.67°C, a striking 4°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Maximum temperatures also soared, ranking 2nd highest on record for March at 13.83°C, nearly 5°C above average. The first three months of 2026 (January–March) collectively represent the 2nd warmest such period on record for Oregon, with an average temperature of 4.78°C, 3.1°C above the baseline.
What changed
Oregon's unusually warm start to the year stands in contrast to a slightly drier trend. While March saw below-average precipitation, the January–March period recorded only 66.89 mm of precipitation, ranking as the 70th driest in 77 years. This warm and dry pattern has contributed to significant drought conditions across the state. In March, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared drought emergencies for Baker, Deschutes, and Umatilla counties, with forecasts suggesting below-normal precipitation and streamflow will likely continue through the summer. This is an unusual concentration of drought declarations for the early part of the year.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth and dryness in Oregon are influenced by several factors. The current ENSO state is Neutral, with a strong probability of transitioning to El Niño by May–July, which typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest. This year's winter brought the lowest snowpack in recorded history for Oregon, a grim preview of a potentially severe wildfire season and a direct threat to water resources. An atmospheric river did bring heavy rain and some snow to parts of Oregon in early to mid-March, causing minor flooding in some areas, but it was not enough to alleviate the broader drought concerns. The widespread heat across the Western US in March, which saw 10 of the top 10 warmest 1-month anomalies being US states, also points to broader regional warming trends.
Looking ahead
The seasonal climate outlook for March through May suggests near-normal conditions are most likely for the Pacific Northwest, though southern Oregon has a better chance of warmer-than-average temperatures. However, forecasts also suggest that below-normal precipitation and streamflow conditions are likely to continue through summer, indicating that drought conditions may persist or intensify.
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.