4 Billion Years On

US Upper Midwest Climate – April 2026 Update

Generating US Upper Midwest climate update…

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 Upper Midwest
United States
Global
Land + Ocean
Mar
1.8°C· 13th
+3.2°C
10.5°C· 1st
+5.0°C
15.2°C· 3rd
+1.1°C
Record
7.5°C (2012)
10.5°C (2026)
15.2°C (2025)
Jan–Mar
-4.1°C· 15th
+2.7°C
5.2°C· 1st
+3.5°C
15.1°C· 4th
+1.1°C
Record
-0.4°C (2012)
5.2°C (2026)
15.2°C (2024)
2025
7.5°C· 14th
+1.3°C
12.6°C· 4th
+1.5°C
15.0°C· 3rd
+1.0°C
Record
8.9°C (2024)
13.1°C (2024)
15.2°C (2024)
Baseline: 1961–1990 mean · Anomaly = difference from baseline · Record = highest (or lowest) value on record

US Upper Midwest – Monthly Temperature – All Years

Metric

Each line represents one year of monthly temperature.

All years since 19872024 (warmest)2026 (current year)

NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).

Shifting Seasons

Warm / cold seasons

How spring and autumn have shifted in US Upper Midwest. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (6.0°C, from 19501979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 32.3°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.

1950–1979
6.5
months above annual mean
2016–2025
6.6
months above annual mean
Spring & Autumn shift
+3 days longer
Warm season
1950–1979 baseline: 15 Apr → 26 Oct · 194 days
2016–2025 now: 15 Apr → 30 Oct · 197 days
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spring 0 days later · Autumn 4 days later

Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jan (+3.4°C).

NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg.

Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals

Rainfall / Precipitation
US Upper Midwest
United States
Mar
55 mm· 23rd
+8 mm
46 mm· 74th
-19 mm
Record
88 mm (1977)
102 mm (1973)
Jan–Mar
36 mm· 29th
+3 mm
41 mm· 77th
-17 mm
Record
51 mm (1998)
84 mm (1998)
2025
768 mm· 44th
-6 mm
743 mm· 55th
-26 mm
Record
1025 mm (2019)
887 mm (1973)
Baseline: 1961–1990 mean · Anomaly = difference from baseline · Record = highest (or lowest) value on record

Member States (4)

Hottest & Coolest in US Upper Midwest this Month

1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 4 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.

Warmest

  1. 1.🇺🇸Iowa+4.32°C
  2. 2.🇺🇸Wisconsin+3.20°C
  3. 3.🇺🇸Minnesota+2.80°C
  4. 4.🇺🇸Michigan+2.42°C

Coolest

  1. 1.🇺🇸Michigan+2.42°C
  2. 2.🇺🇸Minnesota+2.80°C
  3. 3.🇺🇸Wisconsin+3.20°C
  4. 4.🇺🇸Iowa+4.32°C

Data Sources

  • NOAA Climate at a Glance — Regional time series · NOAA code 102 · Open at NOAA
  • Two-baseline model — comparison baseline 1961–1990; native baseline 1901–2000. Methodology →

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