Climate Matters
2025 Fall Package
Fall has warmed in 237 (98%) of the U.S. cities analyzed by Climate Central. Fall warming means that risky heat, fire weather, and allergies linger later into the year.
Climate Matters•November 24, 2025
November Warming, Thanksgiving Extremes
KEY FACTS
November temperatures are rising across the U.S.
New graphics show local November temperature trends and Thanksgiving extremes in 247 U.S. cities.
Most locations (92%, or 225) saw November temperatures rise since 1970 — by 2.4°F on average.
November warmed by at least 3°F in 31% of locations analyzed.
This Climate Matters analysis is based on open-access data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). See Methodology for details.
November is warming in 225 U.S. cities
As the fall and winter seasons warm, November temperatures are rising across the U.S.
Climate Central analyzed the last 55 years (1970–2024) of November temperature data in 245 U.S. cities. See Methodology for details.
Average November temperatures have increased since 1970 in 225 (92%) of the 245 locations analyzed.
These 225 cities have warmed by 2.4°F on average.
Some 77 (31%) of those locations have warmed by 3°F or more since 1970.
The top five November warming locations were: El Paso, Texas (6.4°F); Phoenix, Ariz. (6.0)°F; Tucson, Ariz. (6.0°F); Las Vegas, Nev. (5.9°F); and North Platte, Neb. (5.7°F).
Climate change impacts Thanksgiving foods
In the U.S., all four seasons are heating up as the planet warms due to heat-trapping pollution. This year-round warming may affect some foods found in a Thanksgiving feast, including cranberries.
Warmer and earlier springs can extend the growing season for many crops. For cranberries, warmer temperatures lead to earlier bud maturity, making plants vulnerable to frost damage. Future warming threatens to shift suitable growing regions for commercial cranberry crops. As summers warm, cranberry plants across the Northeast face risks of overheating, leading to fruit damage known as cranberry scald.
Reductions in yields could contribute to higher food prices in the future.
METHODOLOGY
November average temperature data (1970-2024) were obtained from the Applied Climate Information System, which is developed, maintained, and operated by NOAA’s Regional Climate Centers. This analysis included 247 U.S. weather stations. Only 245 stations were included in reported data summaries based on linear trends, however, due to data completeness measures that were not met by two stations: Hazard, Ky. and Wheeling, W.Va.
Local Thanksgiving climate extremes were also retrieved from ACIS, but included each station’s entire period of record (POR). Thanksgiving extremes are based on the date of Thanksgiving each year during the POR.