Rhode Island Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, and East Providence
This month in numbers
Rhode Island experienced its 3rd warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 20.67°C, a significant 2.3°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Maximum temperatures for June 2026 reached an all-time record of 27.06°C, marking it as the warmest June for maximum temperatures in 77 years of records. The period of April to June 2026 also ranked as the 4th warmest on record for average temperatures, at 15.04°C, and the 3rd warmest for maximum temperatures. In contrast, precipitation for April to June was notably low, ranking as the 73rd driest period in 77 years, with 35.6 mm less than the historic average.
What changed
Rhode Island's recent warmth stands out even within its regional context, with its June anomaly of +2.25°C being 0.75°C warmer than the average for the NOAA Northeast US climate region, making it the warmest in the group. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June for global land temperatures on record, and the April-June period ranked as the 2nd warmest globally, highlighting a widespread warming trend.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Rhode Island is being influenced by the ongoing El Niño, which is currently in a weak phase but is forecast to strengthen throughout the summer and into the autumn and winter of 2026. El Niño typically brings warmer conditions to the Northeast US during winter, and while its summer impacts are less pronounced, it can contribute to warmer, more humid summers. The region has also seen a cluster of four wildfires between late June and early July, representing 100% of the annual total for the past 12 months, which is an unusual concentration. This increased wildfire activity, alongside the record-breaking maximum temperatures, suggests the influence of and the effect, particularly in more populated areas. You can track active extreme weather events at Extreme Weather tracker and the ENSO state at ENSO.
Looking ahead
The strong El Niño is expected to continue, suggesting a warmer-than-average winter for Rhode Island with reduced snowfall.
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.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Rhode Island
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rhode Island – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Rhode Island
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Rhode Island. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.4°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 24.1°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+2.9°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island changing?
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island come from?
Climate data for Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island climate data cover?
The Rhode Island climate profile covers Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket and surrounding areas. Rhode Island climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Rhode Island climate update refreshed?
The Rhode Island 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.