Record warmth has kicked record cold’s butt so far in 2026. – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
A sharp chill swept the Southeast over the recent weekend, delivering record-low temperatures to parts of the region. Still, such cold outbreaks paled against the broader pattern this year. Across the contiguous United States, instances of record warm temperatures have far exceeded record cold marks through early May 2026.[1][2]
January Through March: The Warmest Start on Record
The contiguous U.S. posted its warmest January-to-March period in 132 years of observations. Average temperatures reached 41.4°F, or 6.3°F above the 20th-century norm.[3] Maximum daytime highs averaged 53.6°F, topping all prior records, while minimum nighttime lows ranked third warmest.
Nine states established new benchmarks for the quarter. The dominance of warmth extended across multiple time frames, including the prior 12 months from April 2025 through March 2026, which marked the hottest such span since records began in 1895.[4] This sustained heat underscored a year where elevated temperatures reshaped seasonal expectations nationwide.
March Stands Out as Historic Heat Champion
March 2026 claimed the title of warmest March ever for the lower 48 states, with an average of 50.85°F – 9.35°F above normal. That margin eclipsed the previous record set in March 2012 by a full degree, representing the most extreme positive departure for any month in history.[3]
Daytime highs averaged 64.4°F, shattering records by 11.4°F, while nighttime lows hit 37.3°F, second only to one prior March. Ten states, stretching from Arizona and California through the Rockies to Texas and Oklahoma, logged their hottest March on record. Over 500 counties – spanning a quarter of the nation’s land and affecting 79 million residents – saw their warmest March averages.[4]
Meteorologist Guy Walton’s analysis of NOAA data revealed staggering volumes of warm records that month. Daily warm maximums totaled 12,347, nearly matching the prior peak, while monthly warm maximums soared to 2,596 – far surpassing past benchmarks. Warm minimum records followed suit, with 10,197 daily and 1,263 monthly instances.[4]
- Daily warm-max records: 12,347
- Daily warm-min records: 10,197
- Monthly warm-max records: 2,596
- Monthly warm-min records: 1,263
Separate tallies showed stations breaking 10,763 daily record highs and 1,924 monthly high maximum records in March alone.[5] Cold records received scant mention amid the heat’s overwhelming presence.
City-Level Snapshot: Highs Outpace Lows Early On
Major U.S. cities amplified the national trend through late January. Climate Central tracked 171 daily record highs against just 40 record lows – a ratio exceeding 4-to-1.[6] This imbalance highlighted winter’s shifting extremes, with warm outbreaks eclipsing frigid dips even amid eastern cold spells.
Western cities bore the brunt of record warmth, as states like Arizona, Nevada, and Utah shattered March averages by double digits. Phoenix reached 78.8°F for the month, 13°F above normal, while Salt Lake City and others set new seasonal marks.[3] Eastern stations occasionally notched cold records, but these proved outliers in a year tilted toward heat.
April’s Mixed Signals and Ongoing Patterns
April maintained the warm, dry trajectory for much of the country, though temperature swings emerged. Near-record warmth alternated with cold in places, yet the year’s cumulative warmth persisted.[1] Reports indicated nearly 20,000 heat records broken nationwide by spring’s arrival, dwarfing cold achievements.
The Southeast’s weekend plunge into record lows served as a reminder of weather’s variability. Pacific Northwest sites, meanwhile, eyed fresh warmth. Such contrasts reinforced the pattern: fleeting cold amid enduring heat.
NOAA’s ongoing monitoring via tools like the Daily Weather Records dashboard captures these shifts daily.[7] As 2026 unfolds, the scales remain tipped heavily toward record warmth, signaling deeper climatic changes at play.
This year’s temperature ledger tells a clear story. While cold snaps grab headlines, the surge in heat records points to a warming baseline reshaping America’s weather landscape. Observers await whether spring and summer sustain the streak – or if balance returns.
As a little kid, I fell in love with nature, wildlife, and animals. Living in the USA, South Africa, Italy, China and Germany gave me the opportunity to discover the world's Wildlife. My favorite animals are Mountain Gorillas, Siberian Tigers, and Great White Sharks.
I'm a certified PADI Open Water Diver, went to Everest Base Camp and Trekked Gorillas in Uganda. I hold a Master of Science in Economics and Finance.
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