Guide

Is the U.S. getting warmer?

Yes, over the long run. The contiguous U.S. averaged 54.6°F in 2025, and the warmest year since records began in 1895 was 2024, at 55.5°F. Through 2025, the straight line that best fits every year rose about 0.18°F a decade, or 2.3°F since 1895, and warming had sped up to about 0.5°F a decade since 1970. In the 10 years through 2025, the contiguous U.S. was 2.2°F warmer than its 1901–2000 average.

Figures update themselves from 5 charts; newest data as of October 31, 2026.

Average temperature, 2025

54.6°F

Warmest year since 1895: 2024, 55.5°F

Last 10 years against 1901–2000

2.2°F warmer

Contiguous U.S., through 2025

Summer 2026

74.4°F

June to August; hottest summer since 1895: 2026, 74.4°F

Every year since 1895

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NOAA's records for the contiguous U.S. (the 48 states below Canada) begin in 1895, when the year averaged 50.3°F. 2025 averaged 54.6°F. One year can be warmer or cooler than the one before, so the dashed trend line on the chart, which fits every year at once, shows the direction better than any single year.

The coolest year on record was 1917, at 50.1°F, and the warmest 2024, at 55.5°F.

The hottest years on record

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Through 2025, the hottest year on record was 2024, 3.5°F above the 1901–2000 average, followed by 2012 (3.3°F), 2016 (2.9°F), 2025 (2.6°F) and 2017 (2.5°F).

Summers

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Summer 2026 (June to August) averaged 74.4°F. The hottest summer on record was 2026, at 74.4°F; 1936, the Dust Bowl summer, averaged 74.0°F. Through 2026, summers had warmed about 0.46°F a decade since 1970.

The last 12 months

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Each month is compared with the same month's 1901–2000 average. From November 2025 to October 2026, March 2026 was the warmest against normal, 9.4°F above, and May 2026 the coolest, 1.5°F (below zero means colder than average).

Which states have warmed most

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In the 10 years through 2025, Alaska, New Jersey and Rhode Island were among the states that warmed most, about 3.3°F above their 1901–2000 average. Oklahoma was among those that warmed least, 1.6°F warmer than its average.

The numbers

Each year, newest first. A dash means no figure.

Is the U.S. getting warmer?: the numbers
Year Average temperature, °F (contiguous U.S.) Average summer (June–August) temperature, °F (contiguous U.S.)
2026 – 74.37
2025 54.62 73.33
2024 55.48 73.84
2023 54.36 73.0
2022 53.38 73.92
2021 54.5 73.98
2020 54.36 73.53
2019 52.66 72.34
2018 53.51 73.48
2017 54.54 72.67
2016 54.9 73.48
2015 54.38 72.71
2014 52.53 71.68
2013 52.42 72.51
2012 55.27 73.68
2011 53.17 73.63
2010 52.98 73.07
2009 52.38 70.99
2008 52.28 71.96
2007 53.64 73.05
2006 54.24 73.5
2005 53.63 72.55
2004 53.08 70.36
2003 53.24 72.69
2002 53.2 73.16
2001 53.68 72.64
2000 53.25 72.29
1999 53.87 71.82
1998 54.22 72.52
1997 52.19 71.06
1996 51.88 71.96
1995 52.65 71.79
1994 52.85 72.24
1993 51.25 70.39
1992 52.59 69.48
1991 53.15 71.96
1990 53.5 71.9
1989 51.82 71.2
1988 52.62 73.09
1987 53.32 71.77
1986 53.31 71.86
1985 51.29 71.04
1984 51.97 71.62
1983 51.87 72.02
1982 51.33 70.51
1981 53.11 71.94
1980 52.38 72.4
1979 50.88 70.62
1978 51.04 71.49
1977 52.54 72.16
1976 51.46 70.43
1975 51.49 70.85
1974 52.26 70.94
1973 52.28 71.58
1972 51.36 70.66
1971 51.65 71.25
1970 51.6 72.01
1969 51.49 71.35
1968 51.31 70.63
1967 51.75 70.41
1966 51.48 71.26
1965 51.67 70.14
1964 51.67 71.11
1963 52.25 71.4
1962 51.89 70.68
1961 51.86 71.79
1960 51.43 71.7
1959 52.1 72.22
1958 51.92 71.25
1957 52.03 71.52
1956 52.33 71.68
1955 51.68 71.6
1954 53.32 72.15
1953 53.35 72.13
1952 52.27 72.54
1951 51.11 70.72
1950 51.38 69.7
1949 52.01 71.83
1948 51.6 71.33
1947 51.91 71.18
1946 52.94 71.1
1945 51.74 70.3
1944 51.82 71.07
1943 52.06 72.15
1942 51.83 71.2
1941 52.64 71.26
1940 51.88 71.94
1939 53.25 72.11
1938 53.17 72.07
1937 51.54 72.65
1936 52.14 73.98
1935 51.88 71.89
1934 54.09 73.51
1933 52.98 72.85
1932 51.72 71.94
1931 53.52 72.8
1930 51.97 72.09
1929 50.85 71.22
1928 51.91 70.35
1927 52.14 69.73
1926 51.94 71.27
1925 52.51 71.77
1924 50.57 70.82
1923 51.63 70.95
1922 52.02 71.97
1921 53.79 72.33
1920 51.07 70.21
1919 51.54 71.96
1918 51.85 72.0
1917 50.05 70.85
1916 50.84 70.77
1915 51.43 69.06
1914 51.83 71.69
1913 51.53 71.51
1912 50.22 69.68
1911 52.02 71.42
1910 52.41 71.15
1909 51.42 71.48
1908 52.07 70.24
1907 51.47 69.64
1906 51.72 70.49
1905 50.99 70.77
1904 51.15 69.76
1903 50.61 69.57
1902 51.57 70.45
1901 51.86 72.6
1900 52.76 72.07
1899 50.99 71.13
1898 51.42 71.76
1897 51.54 70.92
1896 51.98 71.92
1895 50.33 70.19

What these numbers can and can't tell you

These are NOAA's Climate at a Glance figures for the contiguous U.S.; Alaska and Hawaii aren't included in the national averages. Alaska's records start in 1925 and Hawaii's in 1991.

A single hot or cool year says little; what matters is the direction over decades. When NOAA publishes a new month or year, the charts update themselves, and so does every number on this page.

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Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance (Public domain (U.S. government work)), data as of October 31, 2026, in these charts: