Lowest Temperatures Forecasted for Memorial Day Weekend

By Sam Stebbins  •  May 22, 2026
Joyful child runs through a display of American flags on a sunny day, capturing freedom and innocence.
Photo by Christy Rice on Pexels

Memorial Day is a federal holiday established to recognize the sacrifices made by American troops who have fallen in the line of duty. As a means of ensuring federal employees have a three-day weekend, Memorial Day is not held on a fixed date. Rather, the holiday is observed on the last Monday in May – a time of year that has taken on additional cultural significance in the United States. 

Across the continental United States, the average daily high rises from 72.9°F in May to 81.3°F in June, according to 20th century records from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Due to rising temperatures – in addition to the long weekend – Memorial Day is now widely seen as the unofficial start of the summer season, despite taking place weeks before the summer solstice. Today, Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest travel holidays in the country, with over 44.8 million Americans taking to the roads and skies in 2025 alone, according to AAA. 

This year, however, unseasonably cool temperatures are forecasted in much of the country throughout Memorial Day weekend. Local forecasts show average daily lows in the 30s and 40s across dozens of major population centers, including Baltimore, Denver, New York City, and Minneapolis. In some cases, daily lows this weekend are expected to fall short of historical averages by as much as 10°F. 

Using data compiled by the Southeast Regional Climate Center, Climate Crisis 247 identified the places with the lowest forecasted temperatures over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. We ranked all 376 cities in the continental U.S. with available data on the average forecasted temperature over the two-day period from May 23rd through May 24th, 2026. Additional data on 30-year average temperatures and historical highs are also from SERCC and the Northeast Regional Climate Center. Supplemental population data are five year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. 

cars parked on side of the road near buildings during daytime
Photo by Zachary Edmundson on Unsplash

10. Bangor, Maine

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 53.8°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 43.1°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 57.0°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 94 years: 73.3°F in 1977
  • Local population: 31,938

9. Binghamton, New York

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 53.2°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 45.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 58.3°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 75 years: 74.3°F in 1975
  • Local population: 47,151

8. Alamosa, Colorado

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 53.0°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 32.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 54.2°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 97 years: 64.8°F in 1984
  • Local population: 9,879

7. Worcester, Massachusetts

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 53.0°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 45.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 58.7°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 133 years: 76.3°F in 1964
  • Local population: 207,055

6. Alpena, Michigan

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 52.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 44.0°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 56.2°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 110 years: 73.0°F in 2007
  • Local population: 10,154

5. Concord, New Hampshire

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 52.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 43.0°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 58.9°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 124 years: 76.5°F in 1964
  • Local population: 44,375

4. Portland, Maine

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 52.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 44.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 57.1°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 152 years: 72.0°F in 1964
  • Local population: 68,854

3. Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 52.3°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 44.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 54.9°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 138 years: 70.3°F in 1975
  • Local population: 13,335

2. Duluth, Minnesota

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 51.3°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 39.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 54.7°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 153 years: 69.5°F in 1980
  • Local population: 87,093

1. Caribou, Maine

  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. temperature forecast: 50.5°F (May 23-24 only)
  • Memorial Day Weekend 2026 avg. daily low forecast: 37.9°F (May 23-24 only)
  • 30-year average local temperature for May 23-24: 54.9°F
  • Highest avg. local temperature for May 23-24 in last 88 years: 80.0°F in 1977
  • Local population: 7,382


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