Wyoming Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette, and Rock Springs
Summary
July 2026 was the warmest month in Wyoming's 77-year recorded history, driven by an exceptional summer heatwave that saw temperature records shatter across the state. The statewide average temperature reached 22°C, standing 3.4°C above the long-term baseline and setting a new all-time monthly high. Extreme afternoon heat brought record-breaking conditions to northern and central communities, with several towns seeing triple-digit temperatures for days on end. This historic warmth capped off a scorching season that leaves Wyoming among the fastest-warming regions on Earth over the past year, with above-average temperatures expected to linger over the coming months.
This month in numbers
July 2026 ranked 1st out of 77 years on record for statewide average temperature at 22°C, registering 3.4°C above the 1961 to 1990 baseline. Maximum temperatures also set an all-time record, averaging 30.89°C (+3.7°C anomaly) to mark the hottest single month since records began in 1950. Rainfall was subdued at 29.72 mm (-3.5 mm anomaly), ranking 37th driest on record. Over the May to July period, average temperatures reached 15.72°C (+1.6°C anomaly) and maximum temperatures reached 24.28°C (+2.3°C anomaly), ranking as the 6th warmest three-month stretch on record. Globally, July land temperatures ranked 3rd warmest on record at 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly).
What changed
The hot start to summer extends a pronounced long-term warming trend across the American West. Over the rolling 12-month period, Wyoming ranks 4th highest out of 232 global regions tracked for temperature anomaly, sitting +3.16°C above its baseline in a top 10 dominated by US states. Within the Northern Rockies and Plains region (US Northern Rockies Plains), Wyoming led the area alongside Montana, running 0.61°C warmer than the group average. This continues from 2025, which ended as Wyoming's 3rd warmest complete year on record with an average temperature of 6.76°C.
What’s driving change?
The extraordinary summer heat in Wyoming was fueled by persistent high-pressure atmospheric ridging that trapped hot air over the Mountain West, a phenomenon closely linked to and . In an arid landscape where reduced rainfall prevents soils from cooling through evaporation, high temperatures build rapidly during summer. High-elevation areas also experience , accelerating temperature rises as snowpack recedes earlier in the season. All of Wyoming's 1 wildfire this year has happened in the past month, tracked on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Official seasonal forecasts indicate that above-average temperatures are likely to persist across Wyoming over the next 1 to 3 months through late summer and into autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Wyoming
Köppen Dfb · ContinentalWyoming has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 19.7°C, while January is the coldest at -6.0°C. Annual precipitation averages around 406mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Wyoming
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – Wyoming
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Wyoming
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – Wyoming
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – Wyoming
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Wyoming. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (4.8°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 26.2°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Mar (+2.2°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Emissions & Energy
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Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Wyoming
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.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Wyoming changing?
Wyoming 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.
What is the climate like in Wyoming?
Wyoming has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 19.7°C, while January is the coldest at -6.0°C. Annual precipitation averages around 406mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Wyoming come from?
Climate data for Wyoming 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 Wyoming climate data cover?
The Wyoming climate profile covers Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette and surrounding areas. Wyoming climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Wyoming climate update refreshed?
The Wyoming 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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Wyoming climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Wyoming climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.