US Southeast Climate – March 2026 Update
Top States: Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
This month in numbers
The US Southeast experienced a significantly warm month, with a 1-month temperature anomaly of +3.59°C above the 1961–1990 average. The 3-month anomaly stands at +3.28°C, and the 12-month anomaly is +2.08°C. This places the US Southeast within a broader pattern of warmth, as 10 of the top 10 warmest regions globally for the latest month were US states.
Hottest & coolest US states
Virginia led the region with a striking 1-month anomaly of +4.23°C climate page, followed closely by Alabama at +4.18°C climate page and North Carolina at +4.12°C climate page. Even the "coolest" state in the group, Florida climate page, recorded a substantial anomaly of +2.79°C, highlighting the widespread warmth across the entire Southeast.
What's driving change?
The current ENSO state is Neutral, with an anomaly of +0.11°C versus 1991–2020. However, the forecast indicates a shift, with El Niño becoming the most likely phase for May-Jun-Jul (61% probability) and increasing through the summer ENSO tracker. This developing El Niño could contribute to further warming in the coming months. The region has also been grappling with significant drought conditions, particularly across Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina, which intensified in April. This persistent dryness, coupled with early-season warmth, has led to an increase in wildfires and smoke concerns across the Southeast. This situation is exacerbated by , where the lack of moisture prevents evaporative cooling, leading to higher surface temperatures. Additionally, a tornado outbreak occurred in the Southeastern United States on May 6-7, with multiple tornado emergencies issued in Mississippi.
Looking ahead
Seasonal outlooks suggest that above-normal warmth is expected to expand across the southern and western US in late April into early May.
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 Southeast – 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 Southeast. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (16.8°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 18.7°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.2°C).
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg.
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Member States (6)
Hottest & Coolest in US Southeast this Month
1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 6 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.
Warmest
- 1.🇺🇸Virginia+3.98°C
- 2.🇺🇸North Carolina+3.20°C
- 3.🇺🇸South Carolina+2.35°C
- 4.🇺🇸Georgia+2.30°C
- 5.🇺🇸Alabama+2.20°C
Coolest
- 1.🌴Florida+1.51°C
- 2.🇺🇸Alabama+2.20°C
- 3.🇺🇸Georgia+2.30°C
- 4.🇺🇸South Carolina+2.35°C
- 5.🇺🇸North Carolina+3.20°C
Data Sources
- NOAA Climate at a Glance — Regional time series · NOAA code 104 · Open at NOAA
- Two-baseline model — comparison baseline 1961–1990; native baseline 1901–2000. Methodology →
Data Sources
Data Sources for US Southeast
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 Southeast changing?
US Southeast 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 Southeast come from?
Climate data for US Southeast 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 Southeast climate data cover?
The US Southeast climate profile covers Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and surrounding areas. NOAA Southeast - AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, VA
How often is the US Southeast climate update refreshed?
The US Southeast 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.