Data: U.S. Winter Temperature Trends

Please click here to download local temperature trend data for 240+ U.S. locations.

This dataset supports local graphics downloadable from this page.
Embeddable interactive maps and custom data views are available here.
Click here to download a KML map of U.S. winter warming trends.
For background on these trends, their connections to climate change, and their local impacts, click here for the most recent winter package from Climate Matters.

METHODOLOGY

Average temperatures and days above normal were calculated for each winter (December, January, February) from 1969-1970 (referred to as “winter 1970”) to 2024-2025 (“winter 2025”) using data obtained from the Applied Climate Information System, which is developed, maintained, and operated by NOAA’s Regional Climate Centers. Winter days above normal are defined as the number of days where the average temperature was above the 1991-2020 NOAA/NCEI climate normal.

The map of the contiguous U.S. shows the change in average winter temperatures by county since 1970 with data from NOAA/NCEI’s Climate at a Glance. Previous versions (2023 and prior) of this graphic showed the change in seasonal average temperature by climate division. Note that although Connecticut recently replaced their counties with planning regions, data for Connecticut is displayed by county because NCEI data are not yet available for Connecticut’s planning regions.

Climate Central's local analyses typically include 247 U.S. weather stations. For reported data summaries based on linear trends, however, only 244 stations are included due to data completeness measures that were not met by three stations: Bend, Ore.; Hazard, Ky; and Wheeling, W.Va.

This Climate Matters analysis is based on open-access data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).