With one of the colder springs on record in the United States, Americans across the country are looking forward to enjoying the warm summer months. Thirty-two states recorded temperatures that ranked among the 10 coldest this past April. At the same time, above-normal temperatures were observed across the Southwest this spring.
While somewhat unusual extremes have been recorded this year, variation in temperatures across the United States is completely normal. Even during the upcoming summer months, there is a wide range of temperatures between states.
24/7 Wall St. examined the varying temperatures across states with a focus on summer temperatures. We reviewed for each state the average temperature during the summer months of June, July, and August from 1901 to 2000, and between 1980 and 2010, using the Climate-at-a-Glance feature of the National Centers for Environmental Information produced by the government scientific agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Looking at average yearly temperatures for each state’s weather stations, we also found the areas in each state that tend to be the hottest during the summer. The highest temperatures recorded since 1980 in each state do not necessarily track with the average yearly temperatures. For instance, the hottest temperature recorded since 1980 was in Phoenix, Arizona. But Arizona is not the hottest state, on average, during the summer.
Click here to see the hottest and coldest states in the summer.
To identify the hottest and coldest states in the summer, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed for each state the average temperature during the summer months of June, July, and August from 1901 to 2000 using the Climate-at-a-Glance feature of the National Centers for Environmental Information produced by NOAA. We also reviewed 30 years of temperature records between 1980 and 2010 from NOAA’s Comparative Climate Data Report from 2015. The hottest area in the summer is based on the 30-year data, as is the location of the weather station with the highest average temperature. The data used to rank Hawaii is based on records over the 30 years through 2010. The data used to rank Alaska is based on data from 1953 through 2000.
1. Texas
> Average temperature in the summer: 81.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Del Rio with avg. summer temp. of 85.4° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 117.0° F in Wichita Falls
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2. Louisiana
> Average temperature in the summer: 81.1° F
> Hottest area in the summer: New Orleans with avg. summer temp. of 82.7° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 109.0° F in Shreveport
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3. Florida
> Average temperature in the summer: 80.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Key West with avg. summer temp. of 84.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 106.0° F in Pensacola
4. Oklahoma
> Average temperature in the summer: 79.8° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Oklahoma City with avg. summer temp. of 81.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 113.0° F in Oklahoma City
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5. Mississippi
> Average temperature in the summer: 79.8° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Jackson with avg. summer temp. of 81.0° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 107.0° F in Tupelo
6. Alabama
> Average temperature in the summer: 78.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Mobile with avg. summer temp. of 81.3° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 107.0° F in Birmingham
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7. Georgia
> Average temperature in the summer: 78.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Columbus with avg. summer temp. of 81.4° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 109.0° F in Athens
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8. Arkansas
> Average temperature in the summer: 78.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Little Rock with avg. summer temp. of 81.5° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 115.0° F in Fort Smith
9. South Carolina
> Average temperature in the summer: 78.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Charleston C.O. with avg. summer temp. of 80.9° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 109.0° F in Columbia
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10. Hawaii
> Average temperature in the summer: 77.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Honolulu with avg. summer temp. of 81.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 97.0° F in Kahului
11. Arizona
> Average temperature in the summer: 77.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Phoenix with avg. summer temp. of 93.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 122.0° F in Phoenix
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12. Kansas
> Average temperature in the summer: 76.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Wichita with avg. summer temp. of 78.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 116.0° F in Concordia
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13. Tennessee
> Average temperature in the summer: 75.6° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Memphis with avg. summer temp. of 81.4° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 109.0° F in Nashville
14. Missouri
> Average temperature in the summer: 75.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Kansas City with avg. summer temp. of 78.7° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 115.0° F in St. Louis
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15. North Carolina
> Average temperature in the summer: 75.4° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Wilmington with avg. summer temp. of 79.5° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 105.0° F in Raleigh
16. Kentucky
> Average temperature in the summer: 74.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Paducah with avg. summer temp. of 77.3° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 108.0° F in Lexington
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17. Illinois
> Average temperature in the summer: 73.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Springfield with avg. summer temp. of 74.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 112.0° F in Springfield
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18. Delaware
> Average temperature in the summer: 73.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Wilmington with avg. summer temp. of 74.7° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 103.0° F in Wilmington
19. Maryland
> Average temperature in the summer: 73.0° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Baltimore with avg. summer temp. of 74.8° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 106.0° F in Baltimore
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20. Virginia
> Average temperature in the summer: 72.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Norfolk with avg. summer temp. of 77.6° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 105.0° F in Roanoke
21. Indiana
> Average temperature in the summer: 72.4° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Evansville with avg. summer temp. of 76.5° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 109.0° F in South Bend
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22. California
> Average temperature in the summer: 72.2° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Bakersfield with avg. summer temp. of 81.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 118.0° F in Redding
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23. Nebraska
> Average temperature in the summer: 71.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Omaha Eppley Ap with avg. summer temp. of 74.5° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 114.0° F in Valentine
24. Iowa
> Average temperature in the summer: 71.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Sioux City with avg. summer temp. of 72.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 108.0° F in Sioux City
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25. New Jersey
> Average temperature in the summer: 71.2° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Newark with avg. summer temp. of 75.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 108.0° F in Newark
26. New Mexico
> Average temperature in the summer: 70.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Roswell with avg. summer temp. of 79.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 114.0° F in Roswell
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27. Ohio
> Average temperature in the summer: 70.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Greater Cincinnati Ap with avg. summer temp. of 74.0° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 104.0° F in Toledo
28. West Virginia
> Average temperature in the summer: 70.1° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Huntington with avg. summer temp. of 74.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 104.0° F in Huntington
29. Nevada
> Average temperature in the summer: 68.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Las Vegas with avg. summer temp. of 88.5° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 117.0° F in Las Vegas
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30. Utah
> Average temperature in the summer: 68.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Salt Lake City with avg. summer temp. of 75.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 107.0° F in Salt Lake City
31. Pennsylvania
> Average temperature in the summer: 68.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Philadelphia with avg. summer temp. of 76.0° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 105.0° F in Allentown
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32. Connecticut
> Average temperature in the summer: 68.2° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Bridgeport with avg. summer temp. of 72.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 103.0° F in Bridgeport
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33. Rhode Island
> Average temperature in the summer: 67.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Providence with avg. summer temp. of 71.3° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 104.0° F in Providence
34. Massachusetts
> Average temperature in the summer: 67.2° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Boston with avg. summer temp. of 71.1° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 103.0° F in Boston
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35. Wisconsin
> Average temperature in the summer: 66.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: La Crosse with avg. summer temp. of 71.4° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 108.0° F in La Crosse
36. South Dakota
> Average temperature in the summer: 66.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Huron with avg. summer temp. of 71.0° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 115.0° F in Aberdeen
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37. North Dakota
> Average temperature in the summer: 66.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Fargo with avg. summer temp. of 68.8° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 112.0° F in Bismarck
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38. Minnesota
> Average temperature in the summer: 66.3° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Minneapolis-St.Paul with avg. summer temp. of 71.3° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 108.0° F in Rochester
39. New York
> Average temperature in the summer: 65.9° F
> Hottest area in the summer: New York (Laguardia Ap) with avg. summer temp. of 75.3° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 102.0° F in Rochester
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40. Michigan
> Average temperature in the summer: 65.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Detroit with avg. summer temp. of 71.8° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 106.0° F in Alpena
41. Colorado
> Average temperature in the summer: 64.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Grand Junction with avg. summer temp. of 75.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 109.0° F in Pueblo
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42. New Hampshire
> Average temperature in the summer: 64.0° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Concord with avg. summer temp. of 67.8° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 102.0° F in Concord
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43. Vermont
> Average temperature in the summer: 63.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Burlington with avg. summer temp. of 68.4° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 101.0° F in Burlington
44. Montana
> Average temperature in the summer: 62.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Billings with avg. summer temp. of 69.7° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 111.0° F in Havre
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45. Maine
> Average temperature in the summer: 62.7° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Portland with avg. summer temp. of 66.8° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 103.0° F in Portland
46. Wyoming
> Average temperature in the summer: 62.1° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Casper with avg. summer temp. of 67.2° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 107.0° F in Sheridan
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47. Oregon
> Average temperature in the summer: 62.0° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Medford with avg. summer temp. of 71.5° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 115.0° F in Medford
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48. Idaho
> Average temperature in the summer: 61.8° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Boise with avg. summer temp. of 72.7° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 115.0° F in Lewiston
49. Washington
> Average temperature in the summer: 61.6° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Walla Walla with avg. summer temp. of 71.9° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 114.0° F in Walla Walla
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50. Alaska
> Average temperature in the summer: 50.5° F
> Hottest area in the summer: Fairbanks with avg. summer temp. of 59.7° F
> Highest temperature recorded since 1980: 97.0° F in Gulkana
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