U.S. annual temperature statistics
Published October 16, 2026 · StatsGalore
Average annual temperature across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) in 2025 [1]
NOAA NCEI’s annual assessment describes 2025 as a notably warm year for U.S. temperature statistics, with the strongest national summary centered on the contiguous U.S. The contiguous U.S. annual mean temperature was 54.6°F, which the source reports as 2.6°F above the 20th-century average and the fourth-warmest year in the 131-year record. The same assessment also reports separate annual temperature statistics for Alaska and Hawaiʻi, using different baseline periods and record lengths, so those values should not be treated as directly identical ranking systems. [1]
The numbers
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Contiguous U.S. annual mean temperature | 54.6°F in 2025; 2.6°F above the 20th-century average; fourth-warmest in the 131-year record | [1] |
| Alaska annual mean temperature | 29.5°F in 2025; 3.5°F above the 1925–2000 average; ninth warmest in the 101-year record | [1] |
| Hawaiʻi annual mean temperature | 67.0°F in 2025; 0.7°F above the 1991–2020 average; within the warmest third of the 35-year record | [1] |
| Utah annual temperature anomaly | 4.3°F above its 20th-century average; warmest year on record | [1] |
| Nevada annual temperature anomaly | 3.7°F above its 20th-century average; warmest year on record | [1] |
| County-level record warmth | 62 counties across 10 states—more than eight million people—recorded their warmest year on record | [1] |
National annual temperature
For the contiguous U.S., the central annual statistic is the average temperature of 54.6°F in 2025. NOAA NCEI states that this was 2.6°F above the 20th-century average and ranked as the fourth-warmest year in the 131-year record. This ranking makes the year historically high, while still identifying three warmer years in the record.
The source also says temperatures were above average nationwide, with the most pronounced warmth across the western third of the country. It adds that the region spanning the West Coast through the Rocky Mountains recorded its warmest annual temperature on record when averaged across that entire region.
[1]Regional and state patterns
NOAA NCEI’s climate-region summary shows that the Southwest had its warmest year on record. The West and Northwest ranked third warmest, and the South tied for its fourth-warmest year. These statements describe regional averages rather than individual weather stations or daily extremes.
At the state level, Utah and Nevada recorded their warmest years on record. Utah was 4.3°F above its 20th-century average, while Nevada was 3.7°F above its 20th-century average. The source also reports that 62 counties across 10 states, representing more than eight million people, recorded their warmest year on record; that statistic is about county-level records and affected population, not individual temperature readings.
[1]Alaska and Hawaiʻi
Alaska is reported separately from CONUS. Its 2025 annual temperature averaged 29.5°F, which was 3.5°F above the 1925–2000 average and ranked ninth warmest in the 101-year record. The source notes that much-above-average temperatures persisted through most of the year, but a notably cold December lowered the annual ranking.
Hawaiʻi also has a separate baseline and record length in the assessment. The state recorded an average annual temperature of 67.0°F, which was 0.7°F above the 1991–2020 average and placed the year within the warmest third of the 35-year record. Because the baseline periods differ among CONUS, Alaska, and Hawaiʻi, their anomalies should be read within each stated reference frame.
[1]Extremes context and limits
The U.S. Climate Extremes Index adds context to the annual temperature figures. NOAA NCEI reports that the index for 2025 was 58 percent above average and ranked 12th-highest in the 116-year record. Warm extremes in both maximum and minimum temperatures were above average across CONUS, and each of those temperature indicators ranked among the top 10 on record.
The source further states that warm temperature extremes were widespread in 2025. Extremes in overnight minimums affected more than 85 percent of the West, Northwest, and Southwest regions and over half of CONUS, while daytime maximum extremes covered more than three-quarters of those same western regions. These are extent measures for extremes, not annual mean temperatures.
[1]How to read these statistics
The main annual mean temperature statistic for CONUS is an average over the contiguous U.S., not a median and not a count of days. State, county, Alaska, and Hawaiʻi figures use their own geographic scopes and reported reference periods. The table above therefore keeps the reported units, baselines, and record lengths attached to each value.
The cited NOAA NCEI article was published January 13, 2026. The note in the source that 2025 was the fourth-warmest year on record for the U.S. is supported by the CONUS annual temperature statement, while Alaska and Hawaiʻi are presented separately with their own record lengths and averages.
[1]Sources & notes
Definitions and limitations: CONUS means the contiguous U.S.; the key CONUS value is an annual average temperature, not a median. Baselines differ: CONUS comparisons use the 20th-century average, Alaska uses the 1925–2000 average, and Hawaiʻi uses the 1991–2020 average. The source assessment was published January 13, 2026, and reports annual 2025 statistics.
Source review: 2026-10-16. Article publication and underlying data dates are separate. How we use statistics · Suggest a correction