US West Climate – June 2026 Update
Top States: California and Nevada
This month in numbers
The US West climate region experienced a significantly warmer June, with temperatures averaging +2.16°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The three-month anomaly stands at +1.74°C, while the 12-month rolling anomaly reached +2.48°C. Globally, the latest 1-month rankings show that 9 of the top 10 warmest regions were countries, indicating widespread warmth beyond the US West.
Hottest & coolest US states
Within the US West, Nevada was the warmest state this month, recording a striking +2.44°C anomaly. US Nevadar:text-teal-200 hover:border-teal-200 transition-colors">California also experienced unusually warm conditions, with a +1.97°C anomaly. US Nevada In contrast, Montana stood out as the coolest US state, with a -1.12°C anomaly, as a cold front brought unseasonal snow to higher elevations across the Rockies.
What's driving change?
The current El Niño (weak) phase, with an anomaly of +0.98°C, is forecast to persist with 100% probability through the end of the year. ENSO This El Niño event, combined with the underlying trend of , contributed to the widespread warmth. The region also grappled with significant wildfires in June, particularly across Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, fuelled by critically hot, dry conditions and unusually high winds. A study found that severely low snow conditions in the Western U.S. this past winter were made much more likely by human-caused climate change, with warmer temperatures leading to more rain instead of snow, and earlier snowmelt.
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.
Hottest & Coolest in US West this Month
1-month anomaly vs 1961–1990 across the 2 members we cover. Click a name to open its profile.
Warmest
- 1.🇺🇸Nevada+2.44°C
- 2.☀️California+1.97°C
Coolest
- 1.☀️California+1.97°C
- 2.🇺🇸Nevada+2.44°C
Member States
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – US West
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).
US West – Monthly Temperature – All Years
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg / pcp (monthly absolutes).
Records – US West
NOAA Climate at a Glance - regional tavg / pcp - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsHow spring and autumn have shifted in US West. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (12.3°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 20.4°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.0°C).
NOAA Climate at a Glance — regional tavg. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for US West
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 West changing?
US West 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 US West come from?
Climate data for US West 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 West climate data cover?
The US West climate profile covers California, Nevada and surrounding areas. NOAA West - CA, NV
How often is the US West climate update refreshed?
The US West 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.