These regions Had Record-Shattering Fall Temperatures This Year

The era of climate change has been defined by rapid, unprecedented shifts in global temperatures. According to The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Earth cooled an average of 0.01°C each century over the last 7,000 years. But since the industrial revolution, that trend has reversed sharply. Since 1970, average global temperatures have been climbing at a rate of 1.7°C per century. While these warming effects may not be palpable from day to day, climate data tells a much clearer story, as each of the 10 hottest years in history were reported in the last decade. 

In the United States, historical records also show a clear and rapid warming trend. Across the Lower 48, the average temperature in the meteorological fall – a period that runs from the beginning of September until the end of November – was 53.5°F in the 100 year period from 1901 to 2000. By contrast, the average fall temperature in the continental U.S. this year was 57.2°F, making 2025 the third warmest fall since record keeping began 131 years ago. Notably, the two warmest fall seasons in U.S. history were reported as recently as 2016 and 2024. 

Even though the average temperatures in the U.S. this fall was a fraction of a degree lower than the record seasonal high, at the local level, there were 275 counties and county equivalents – or about 1-in-every-11 counties in the Lower 48 – where this fall’s average temperature either broke or matched all-time seasonal highs.

Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Climate Crisis 247 identified the states that are home to places where average fall temperatures hit an all-time high in 2025. Supplemental state and county level temperature data are also from NOAA. States are listed in alphabetical order. 

The 275 counties where fall temperatures hit record highs in 2025 are spread across 13 states – most of which are places where 2025 was also the warmest fall ever statewide. The states on this list are concentrated in the West, though three are in the Midwest and one is in the South. Notably, in over half the counties that just emerged from a historically warm fall season, average fall temperatures in 2025 exceeded the 20th century seasonal average by 5°F or more. These places include Pennington County, Minnesota, where the average temperature from September through November this year exceeded the local 20th century fall average by 7°F. 

Colorado

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 9
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Colorado: 50.0°F – 3rd warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Colorado: 45.8°F (4.2°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 51.8°F in Mesa County, CO
• 20th century average fall temperature in Mesa County, CO: 46.6°F (5.2°F cooler than in 2025)

Idaho

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 37
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Idaho: 48.0°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Idaho: 43.5°F (4.5°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 54.8°F in Canyon County, ID
• 20th century average fall temperature in Canyon County, ID: 51.0°F (3.8°F cooler than in 2025)

Minnesota

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 5
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Minnesota: 49.2°F – 4th warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Minnesota: 43.2°F (5.9°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 53.0°F in Cottonwood County, MN
• 20th century average fall temperature in Cottonwood County, MN: 46.5°F (6.5°F cooler than in 2025)

Montana

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 20
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Montana: 47.1°F – 2nd warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Montana: 42.2°F (4.9°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 49.1°F in Chouteau County, MT
• 20th century average fall temperature in Chouteau County, MT: 43.9°F (5.2°F cooler than in 2025)

Nebraska

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 5
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Nebraska: 54.5°F – 3rd warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Nebraska: 49.8°F (4.6°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 57.0°F in Polk County, NE
• 20th century average fall temperature in Polk County, NE: 51.5°F (5.6°F cooler than in 2025)

Nevada

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 5
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Nevada: 54.3°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Nevada: 50.4°F (3.9°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 55.1°F in Churchill County, NV
• 20th century average fall temperature in Churchill County, NV: 50.9°F (4.2°F cooler than in 2025)

New Mexico

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 14
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across New Mexico: 58.1°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in New Mexico: 53.6°F (4.5°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 66.9°F in Eddy County, NM
• 20th century average fall temperature in Eddy County, NM: 60.6°F (6.3°F cooler than in 2025)

Oregon

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 13
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Oregon: 51.2°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Oregon: 47.7°F (3.5°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 53.8°F in Gilliam County, OR
• 20th century average fall temperature in Gilliam County, OR: 49.7°F (4.1°F cooler than in 2025)

South Dakota

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 11
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across South Dakota: 51.5°F – 3rd warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in South Dakota: 46.6°F (4.9°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 54.6°F in Gregory County, SD
• 20th century average fall temperature in Gregory County, SD: 49.1°F (5.5°F cooler than in 2025)

Texas

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 105
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Texas: 70.6°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Texas: 65.5°F (5.1°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 80.1°F in Hidalgo County, TX
• 20th century average fall temperature in Hidalgo County, TX: 74.7°F (5.4°F cooler than in 2025)

Utah

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 28
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Utah: 53.1°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Utah: 48.5°F (4.6°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 57.0°F in San Juan County, UT
• 20th century average fall temperature in San Juan County, UT: 52.6°F (4.4°F cooler than in 2025)

Washington

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 19
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Washington: 50.5°F – the warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Washington: 46.9°F (3.6°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 55.5°F in Benton County, WA
• 20th century average fall temperature in Benton County, WA: 51.5°F (4.0°F cooler than in 2025)

Wyoming

• Counties in state where 2025 was the warmest fall ever: 4
• Avg. temperature in fall 2025 across Wyoming: 46.6°F – 2nd warmest fall ever
• 20th century average fall temperature in Wyoming: 41.7°F (4.9°F cooler than in 2025)
• Warmest, record-breaking avg. county temperature in state, fall 2025: 46.8°F in Sweetwater County, WY
• 20th century average fall temperature in Sweetwater County, WY: 41.8°F (5.1°F cooler than in 2025)