Hottest Spring Ever Impacts 145 Million Americans

By Sam Stebbins  •  May 19, 2026
A person sits quietly under a tree in a lush green park, enjoying a tranquil moment.
Photo by Pramod Tiwari on Pexels

Fossil fuels, like coal and oil, have been widely used around the world for well over a century, emitting heat-trapping greenhouse gasses. But the most palpable climatological effects of their consumption have not emerged until relatively recently. According to researchers at NASA, the world is warming 10 times faster than it would have at similar points in previous climate cycles over the last 800,000 years. Now, reports of record-breaking heat have become the norm from every virtually corner of the globe.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, each of the last 11 years rank among the 11 warmest since record keeping began. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that each of the 10 hottest years on record in the continental United States were reported in 2006 or later. Currently, the hottest year in the history of the Lower 48 was 2024, when the average temperature was 55.5°F – or 3.5°F warmer than the annual average during the 20th century. Given the rapid pace of warming in the climate change era, it may come as little surprise that this year’s temperatures are on track to eclipse the highs of 2024.

In the first four months of 2026, the average temperature in continental U.S. was 44.8°F, hotter than in any other year since at least 1895, and approximately 2°F warmer than the comparable period in 2024. This year’s record-breaking temperatures have been driven, in part, by an unusually warm spring season. 

The meteorological spring begins on March 1st and ends with the month of May. While several weeks of spring still remain, the first two months of the season have already brought record-high average temperatures to 15 of the Lower 48 states.

Using data from NOAA, Climate Crisis 247 identified the states reporting their hottest spring in history. We reviewed average temperatures at the state level during the months of March and April 2026, and compared them to historical averages for the same two-month period for each year going back to 1895. Only states where average temperatures between the beginning of March and the end of April hit an all time high in 2026 are listed. Supplemental data on county level records for each state are also from NOAA. Population figures are 1-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. 

1. Arizona

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 62.2°F (9.0°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Arizona reporting warmest spring on record: 15 of 15 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Arizona, March – April 2026: Yuma County, 74.0°F (9.0°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  7,582,384

2. Arkansas

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 64.0°F (8.1°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Arkansas reporting warmest spring on record: 64 of 75 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Arkansas, March – April 2026: Chicot County, 67.2°F (7.8°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  3,088,354

3. California

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 58.7°F (7.3°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in California reporting warmest spring on record: 36 of 58 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in California, March – April 2026: Imperial County, 75.5°F (9.0°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  39,431,263

4. Colorado

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 46.4°F (8.3°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Colorado reporting warmest spring on record: 56 of 64 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Colorado, March – April 2026: Prowers County, 55.3°F (8.6°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  5,957,494
the sun shines brightly over a river and waterfall
Photo by Rafik Wahba on Unsplash

5. Kentucky

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 59.1°F (8.8°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Kentucky reporting warmest spring on record: 117 of 120 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Kentucky, March – April 2026: Fulton County, 62.1°F (8.9°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  4,588,372

6. Mississippi

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 66.5°F (6.9°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Mississippi reporting warmest spring on record: 56 of 82 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Mississippi, March – April 2026: Lawrence County, 67.9°F (6.6°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  2,943,045

7. New Mexico

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 55.8°F (8.3°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in New Mexico reporting warmest spring on record: 33 of 33 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in New Mexico, March – April 2026: Eddy County, 65.0°F (8.7°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  2,130,256

8. North Carolina

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 60.3°F (6.7°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in North Carolina reporting warmest spring on record: 61 of 100 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in North Carolina, March – April 2026: Craven County, 62.2°F (6.1°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  11,046,024

9. Ohio

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 52.2°F (8.3°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Ohio reporting warmest spring on record: 69 of 88 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Ohio, March – April 2026: Lawrence County, 57.1°F (8.8°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  11,883,304

10. Oklahoma

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 62.9°F (8.5°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Oklahoma reporting warmest spring on record: 66 of 77 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Oklahoma, March – April 2026: Love County, 65.7°F (7.5°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  4,095,393

11. Tennessee

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 61.2°F (8.1°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Tennessee reporting warmest spring on record: 95 of 95 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Tennessee, March – April 2026: Shelby County, 65.5°F (9.1°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  7,227,750

12. Texas

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 68.4°F (7.8°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Texas reporting warmest spring on record: 219 of 254 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Texas, March – April 2026: Nueces County, 74.5°F (6.1°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  31,290,831

13. Utah

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 49.6°F (8.2°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Utah reporting warmest spring on record: 21 of 29 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Utah, March – April 2026: Washington County, 56.7°F (8.4°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  3,503,613

14. Virginia

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 56.8°F (7.5°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in Virginia reporting warmest spring on record: 84 of 132 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in Virginia, March – April 2026: Franklin City, 60.8°F (7.6°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  8,811,195

15. West Virginia

  • Average temperature, March – April 2026: 54.4°F (8.4°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • Counties in West Virginia reporting warmest spring on record: 52 of 55 counties
  • Warmest, record-breaking county in West Virginia, March – April 2026: Mingo County, 58.3°F (8.1°F warmer than 20th century avg.)
  • State population:  1,769,979


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