United States Climate – June 2026 Update
Key States: California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Alaska
This month in numbers
The United States experienced its 19th warmest May on record, with an average temperature of 16.5°C, an anomaly of +0.8°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, May 2026 was the 3rd warmest May on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C.
What changed
The period from March to May 2026 was the 2nd warmest on record for the United States, with an average temperature of 13.22°C, a significant anomaly of +2.6°C. Maximum temperatures during this three-month span also ranked 2nd highest on record, at 20.49°C, an anomaly of +3.1°C. This warming trend in the US contrasts with a global land temperature anomaly of +1°C for the April-June 2026 period, which ranked as the 2nd warmest on record globally.
What’s driving change?
The warming observed across the United States is influenced by a rapidly developing El Niño event. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center has indicated that El Niño conditions are present and are expected to strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2026-27. This El Niño is projected to be strong, with some forecasts suggesting it could be one of the most intense on record. El Niño typically leads to warmer-than-usual winters over the northern US and can shift the jet stream southward, increasing storm activity across the southern US. May 2026 saw a barrage of extreme weather across the United States, including deadly tornadoes and severe flooding in the South, and record-breaking heat in the Northwest. This included an EF3 tornado in Mineral Wells, Texas, and widespread hail in Springfield, Missouri, in early May. The month also saw over 300 tornadoes reported by mid-April, with an EF5 tornado impacting Indiana in March. More information on extreme weather can be found at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
The strong El Niño is expected to intensify throughout the summer and autumn, reaching its peak strength between late fall and early winter, with global impacts expanding through the Northern Hemisphere in the autumn.
Sources:
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 – United States
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
United States – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – United States
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfa · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in United States. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (11.0°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 24.5°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Mar (+2.1°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
Baseline: 1961–1990 mean. Anomaly: difference from that baseline. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Climate Systems
Loading ENSO tracker…
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for United States
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.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Contiguous-US national temperature and precipitation series.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in United States changing?
United States 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 United States come from?
Climate data for United States comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), 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 United States climate data cover?
The United States climate profile covers California, Texas, Florida, New York and surrounding areas. The world's second-largest emitter and energy transition leader
How often is the United States climate update refreshed?
The United States 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.