Fastest-Warming U.S. States and Cities

April 2026 was the fourth-warmest month globally on record, with the contiguous U.S. experiencing its third-warmest April. The report highlights severe drought in the Southeast U.S., record-low Western snowpack, and a persistent marine heat wave off the coasts of California and Mexico. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the analysis attributes springtime warming trends in 98% of analyzed U.S. cities to human-caused climate change, with exceptional warmth noted in Honolulu and San Juan. Forecasts indicate a high probability of a strong El Niño developing later in 2026, potentially driving global temperature anomalies above 1.8°C relative to pre-industrial levels by early 2027.

• April 2026 was the fourth-warmest month on record globally for combined land and ocean temperatures, and the contiguous U.S. experienced its third-warmest April on record.
• Eight U.S. states recorded their warmest April on record: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. West Virginia's anomaly was particularly high, surpassing its 1896 record by 1.5°F and reaching 8.1°F above the twentieth-century average.
• Severe drought is affecting the contiguous U.S., with at least 75% of the area experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions as of May 7, 2026. The Southeast U.S. is seeing the largest extent of severe or worse drought on record since 2000.
• Water storage in the Western U.S. snowpack reached a record low for April 1, with snow water equivalent remaining below 50% of the 1991-2020 median in most basins from Washington to New Mexico.
• Analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates that human-caused climate change drove springtime warming trends in 98% of analyzed U.S. cities. Honolulu, Hawaii, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, experienced the most days with CSI 5, signifying exceptional climate-driven warmth.
• A persistent marine heat wave off the coasts of California and Mexico continued in April, with 30% to 45% of the affected area experiencing conditions at least six times more likely due to human-caused climate change.
• Global temperature forecasts project anomalies above 1.8°C relative to the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline by early 2027, largely driven by the expected development of a strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific later in 2026.
• Increased temperatures in the U.S. have led to record-high cooling degree days in the Northwest, South, Southwest, and West climate regions from January to April 2026, increasing energy demand for air conditioning.

APA

Climate Central (2026). Fastest-Warming U.S. States and Cities. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings/april-2026

Chicago

Climate Central. Fastest-Warming U.S. States and Cities. 2026. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings/april-2026.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=Fastest-Warming U.S. States and Cities |date=April 2026 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings/april-2026 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2026fastestwarming, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{Fastest-Warming U.S. States and Cities}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings/april-2026}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }