Winter 2025-26 State Temperature/Precipitation Rankings. Record Warm West/South; Scarry Dry Mid-south U.S.

Climate Impact Company Daily Feature

Issued: Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Highlight: Winter 2025-26 state temperature/precipitation rankings. Record warm West/South; Scarry dry Mid-south U.S.

Fig. 1: U.S. state temperature rankings for meteorological winter 2025-26.

Discussion: U.S. meteorological winter 2025-26 was the warmest on record for 9 western U.S. states from Oregon to Texas (Fig. 1). The western half of the U.S. finished MUCH ABOVE or RECORD warm. The only colder than normal states were Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. Delaware was the coldest state (historically). U.S. county temperature rankings reveal much of the Southwest U.S. including the southern half of California were record warm during 2025-26 meteorological winter (Fig. 2). Much of the Northeast U.S. Corridor was marginally colder than normal during the winter season.

MUCH BELOW normal precipitation was observed across much of the eastern 2/3 of the U.S. (Fig. 3). Texas to Ohio were all-time top 10 driest, similar with New England (except Vermont). Historically, the driest states were Arkansas and Missouri followed closely behind by Mississippi, Illinois, Kentucky, and Texas. Despite the warmth, the West/Northwest U.S. precipitation ranks for meteorological winter 2025-26 were near normal. Counties observing the driest winter on record included much of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois (Fig. 4). Significant dryness covered the entire Mid-south U.S. including the central and southern Mississippi River Valley.

Fig. 2: U.S. county temperature rankings for meteorological winter 2025-26.

Fig. 3: U.S. state precipitation rankings for meteorological winter 2025-26.

Fig. 4: U.S. county precipitation rankings for meteorological winter 2025-26.